Eggs, Eggs and More Eggs!

The girls are all finally laying now, so we have eggs coming out our ears, but we seem to have no problem eating them all at this point.  They're laying 4-5 per day now and many of them are double yolkers.  The two on the far right, both top and bottom, in the picture below are double yolks.  I wonder if they hurt a bit coming out?!  The Cocoo Marans lay the most beautiful dark chocolate eggs.  One chicken in particular lays a darker speckled brown beauties, so pretty.

We had issues with the chickens eating their eggs at first, yikes!  I asked folks over on TBUH and decided to take the advice of putting fake eggs in the nesting boxes, and it worked thank goodness.

Nice family shot I took the other day of the girls.  Rarely are they all facing the same direction!  They're hanging out on the cool little outdoor roost Ron built them. 

Today for the first time our Ameraucana laid this green beauty!  

How are the eggs going over on your homestead?

Hen or Rooster?

Lately our "hen" Ophelia has been exhibiting some suspiciously rooster like qualities.  I noticed the past few weeks that "she" has been becoming more and more aggressive.  She's always been the dominant chicken of the bunch, but it seems that she is now becoming a major bully chicken!  She charges the other chickens, has to be the one in charge, and pecks like there is no tomorrow.  I have noticed for weeks now that her comb is getting larger and darker than our other Buff Orpington, Penelope, but this morning I noticed that her wattles are getting enormous.  Penelope has no wattles and her comb is non existent.  She is super sweet and mellow unlike her "sister."  So I posted this pic on the Take Back Urban Home-steading(s) fb page.  I figured that out of 7500 urban homesteaders I should be able to get a good consensus as to what "it" truly is.  But, I got very mixed opinions, some saying, "That's a hen, no doubt!" to, "I can bet money it's a rooster." Apparently the determining factors for figuring out if a chicken is a rooster in Buff Orpingtons are:  A large comb that shows up early, (even at just a few weeks), large wattle, saddle and hackle feathers, (they're longer and more spear shaped on the rear if it's a rooster), larger sized legs, and the ultimate test - the crow.

If "she" is indeed a he, then he will have to go, sadly.  We don't want a rooster due to the crow, (believe me, the neighbors will complain), and the fact that we want egg layers, period, so no fertilized eggs for this flock.  But I'm not going to worry about that until we know for sure.

So what is your vote:  Hen or Rooster?  I'll keep you posted.  Apparently Buff Orpingtons crow at around 20 weeks old, so we have a while to go.

Ophelia at 12 weeks, (left.)

Homestead Update

It's high time for a homestead update!  We finally finished the chicken coop and run last weekend, but still have details such as trim and paint to finish up.  Our chickens had out grown their indoor box, so we had to get them moved into their permanent residence asap.  The coop project took much longer than anticipated, mainly due to all of the rain we've been having, so if you're planning to build a substantial coop/run be sure you give yourself a good two months of time!  But, I must say it's totally worth it in the end!  We love the almost finished result, and the chickens are clucking with delight out there.  Here is a re-cap of what's going and happening around here:

Here she is, pretty much done!  The chicken's door is pulled by a string from the outside of the coop, and closed shut by a board.  When they finally figure out that going inside of the coop at night is a good idea we won't have to go into the coop every night.  Just a push of the board and they're shut in for the night!

All six ladies:  Henrietta, (Ameraucana), Ophelia, Penelope, (Buff Orpingtons), Jacquelin, Peepers and Snowflake (Coo Coo Marans.)

The starts are coming up like crazy!  I just took pics of a few of them, but there are lots more coming up including spinach, chard, onions, kale, broccoli, bush beans, and carrots.  Thanks to the advice on Take Back Urban Home-steading(s) page we've put screens over them so the cats aren't using the beds for a litter box.

Lettuce (Above), Peas (Below)

One of our apple trees, (the Dwarf Gala), is putting out gorgeous little blooms.  This is the first year we've had apple blossoms!

We have four ornamental trees and they're full of beautiful pink blooms this time of year.  This one is the flowering cherry.  We have another one of these and two flowering plums.  Sure wish whoever put these in had put in fruit trees instead...ah well! 

What's going on over at your homestead?  What's growing, both animal and plant life?

Welcome Home Chickies!

We finally had a break in the rain today and worked like crazy to get the chickens' run wired and secured - it's rough, but finished enough to move the chickens in!  The poor things were starting to become very cramped in their box and it was time for them to get out into their permanent home.  Just as we were finishing up the rain started, phew!

They went straight away to pecking and scratching.  It was like Christmas chicken style!  One of them found a gigantic fat worm and was running around the pen with it.  She couldn't stop to eat it because every time she did one of the other chickens would chase her, talk about funny.

Henrietta was a bit hyper at first, darting around like a wild thing, but she's finding her groove now.

We got the run secured enough for now, it's rough, but it will keep the chickens in at least!  We still need to finish up the trim, add shingles over the nesting boxes, and paint the coop.  Slow and steady wins the race, as they say.  I talked Ron into not adding panels to the right hand lower part of the run, so we can see the chickens from a distance in the run.  I like seeing them through the chicken wire;  I admit it, I'm in love with these little ladies.

Here is the chicken door and ramp.  Ron added a string to the door which can be pulled from the outside of the coop.  The door is then barred shut with a long piece of wood that is accessible from outside of the run.  Pretty smart, eh?  I like how he put shingles on their ramp.  They're nice and "grippy" so it will be easy for them to climb it.

We put this rooster bell up on the coop because every hen house needs a rooster, don't ya think? :)  I also have a smaller one I'll add as well.

Derby cat wasn't very happy that he had been evicted from his nesting box house, poor kitty.  He managed to  jump on the roof of the run and was trying to squeeze through the area Ron was closing off, crafty cat.

Here's to many years of cooptastic happiness!  Welcome home ladies!

Chicken Update & Coop Progress

I've been meaning to put up a chicken/chicken coop post for a while now, so here it is finally!  The chickens are doing great and are getting HUGE!  It seems like they double their size every week or so.  They're about a month old now, and we're ready for them to move into their coop....it's more like our noses are ready, lol!

Here is Henrietta, our one Ameraucana chicken.  She is super tame and mellow, and will let the kids hold her for hours.  I wish we could have bought one more of these, but they're tiny egg layers and we wanted better producers.  Her eggs will be a nice green color though, which I'm looking forward to!

Ron made a deluxe chicken condo box the other day.  He works in the materials department at the hospital so he always has access to tons of boxes.  He couldn't find a large enough box for them, so he connected two with a little door and they seem to love it.  We also throw compost into their box so they can eat worms and scritch and scratch around.  They love it!

Introducing the ladies:  Penelope, Snow Flake, Peepers, Ophelia, and Jacquelin.  (Henrietta not pictured.)

The coop and run are almost finished!  So far we've framed, roofed and walled the coop, made the ramp and ramp door, and done the run framing.  Ron is now putting the wire on the run and making the run door.  We still need to make and install the nesting box door, frame the coop in, shingle the roof, reinforce the bottom of the run, and paint the coop.  I didn't realize what a big job this coop would be!

Ron put up this fence border to keep out predators.  It's great protection, but the down side is that you can't see the chickens unless you're standing right by the coop.  We're going to put sticks and branches up in the run, so they will probably perch up there during the day some.  We're debating whether to move the coop out some, making the run bigger.  Also, the cute window is now obscured behind the run.  Ron created the run around the coop to conserve yard space, which totally makes sense.  Ron's functionality and my aesthetic are waging a little battle right now.  We're working on making a compromise that we'll both be happy with.  Since the coop is visible by one of the only windows looking out over the yard/garden I really want to be able to see those chickens clucking around during the day.  What to do?  Decisions, decisions!  Any ideas are welcome by the way. :)  I know some of you must be coop experts by now!

Chick Update

Lately the big happening on our urban homestead is the arrival of our chicks.  Yes we have things sprouting up and Ron's been out getting the garden ready for spring, building the coop, (when it isn't raining which has been a rare day), and trimming the trees, but these chicks are stealing the lime light big time.  When the kids get home from school both of them immediately grab one and it seems that one of them is always holding one.  I had no idea how much fun they would have with the chicks.  It makes me happy to no end seeing them with these little pets.  My daughter is gentle and very motherly with them, and the little guy is gentle with them too, although at times a bit unpredictable so I have to watch him like a hawk.  As you can see in the pic below this is one very happy little boy.

The larger chicks are two weeks old now and they look huge!  They're a bit less easy to hold now, but the kids still find a way.  Ron put a bunch of dirt and sticks in the bottom of their box and they're very happy little chicks in there.  They scratch and peck non stop and make happy little sounds.  Ron says, "They feel like real chickens now."  I'm wondering how long they will let the kids hold them.  Time will tell how long they will put up with being grabbed day in and day out.  It seems like the Cuckoo Marans are more tame than the Buff Orpingtons at this point.    

Last weekend we picked up two new additions, aren't they adorable?!  The one on the right is a Ameraucano and she is super tame and mellow.  We're all in love with her, putting it mildly.  The other one is a Black Orpinton and isn't quite as tame.  She's incredibly loud and the kids have named her "Peeper."  

The chicks had an outing last week to pre-school.  The teachers set up this little barn yard fence for them, talk about adorable.  The kids loved them and I plan to bring one back once they're bigger.  So, that's the update here on the Alexander urban homestead!  What's going on over at your place?

The Chickens Are Here!

We've been talking about getting chickens for over a year now and I felt like the day would never come.  Well, last Saturday it did and we have our chicks now at long last!  We loaded up in the car early in the morning and drove over to A&L Feed which was built before the turn of the century and is one of those wonderful old fashioned feeling feed stores.  I haven't seen the kids this excited since Christmas, seriously!  I think raising chickens is going to be a good experience for the whole family, especially the kids.  It will most likely become one of their fondest childhood memories, and I'm grateful to be part of it.


I guess now we feel like "real urban homesteaders" finally. (As of starting an urban homesteading page of nearly 6000 wasn't enough!)  There is something about raising chickens that makes you feel bonified, if that makes sense.  People are already asking to come over in the spring when our garden is pretty and the chickens are living the good life in their coop, and we will.  We already have egg orders flooding in and these chicks aren't even a month old!  It's going to be fun, and it already is.  

I had to take a pic of the feed store, it's that cool.

That is one excited little boy!

Here is one of our Buff Orpingtons.

One of the two Cucko Marrans and a very happy little one.  Can't wait for those chocolate colored eggs!

Sarah has become "mommy" to the chicks.  She cleans their box twice a day and is quite protective of them.  

Fresh Eggs!

Look what the hubby brought home today!  One of his co-workers knows about our urban homestead and dream to have chickens, so he knew we would appreciate fresh eggs!!  Aren't they beautiful?!

In Brief - What's Been Going On

We're prepping for spring around here with a garden clean up and lots of projects going on from pruning trees to finishing the chicken coop.  There is a ton of work to be done out back...makes me tired just looking at it!  I was out of town over the weekend and my urban homestead hubby was busy getting things prepped for spring.  Things are looking messy around here, but messy is good and necessary for a time.  Just look at these glorious jars!  I can almost see the tomato sauce, jellies, jams and all kinds of goodness filling them...mmm  I can hardly wait to learn all about canning! 
 

We picked up these canning jars off of Craig's List for free!  They had been sitting out in the elements and needed a good cleaning.  We're inheriting some canning supplies from one of our grandmas and will be getting them right in time for canning.  There is nothing like using items for food making that grandma used.  It's both sentimental and wonderful at the same time.   

Urban Homestead honey has been in bread making mode lately.  He bought Atrisan Bread In Five Minutes A Day and Brother Juniper's Bread Book.  The bread recipes in both of these books are so easy, quick and delicious!!

The coop is pretty close to completion, but still needs siding, flashing, a door on the nesting box area, the wire run and a good coat of paint.  I've been browsing through local on line chicken catalogs to see which kinds we're going to get.  These to the left are Barred Rocks.  With the huge selection out there I'm a bit overwhelmed.  I'm asking friends who have chickens which types they prefer, which kinds are good around children, etc.  If you have any suggestions I would love to hear them!  I will of course get some that lay those beautiful brown and blue eggs!

On a different front, the fb page I started Take Back Urban Home-steading(s) was mentioned today in the SF Gate!!  This news made my day.  Things are moving forward and I'm seeing more and more each day that urban homesteaders when united are a veritable force of nature!  I have no doubt in my mind that we will indeed win our names back.