Lazy Gardener's Little Town Farm

[Lazy Gardener]

Pullet eggs are sizing up nicely. And, I'm finding some nice surprises. I only had 3 bearded/muffed pullets in this years hatches. I am expecting them to lay green/blue/aqua colored eggs. However, at least one of the red, and one of the BSL pullets are also giving me some nice green eggs!

 

[Mini Horses]

I absolutely LOVE to collect eggs. Since a little kid. Still do. And my hens laying colors make it so fun! I get olive, mint green, blues, speckled brown, dark and light browns...lovely!
One of the reasons I love my mixed flock. Of course, colorful hens are nice, too. Then these huge RIRs I have don't give me huge eggs but the birds are. Won't take many excess roo from hatches to keep the freezer filled. This will be 2nd yr to lay, so I expect larger eggs, too.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Yep, the colorful egg basket is lots of fun. What breeds do you have, and what do you have for roo(s) for breeding?

 

[NH Homesteader]

Every time I've tried for colored eggs, or even white eggs, I've had no luck. Birds were either psycho, ate too much, not hardy enough. I quit, we're a brown egg farm! Might try some marans though. They're at least dark brown lol!

 

[Lazy Gardener]

I love my EE gals. They are well behaved, not aggressive. Nor would I say that they are overly flighty. They are fine winter layers. (though I do provide supplemental light.) And I love the little pea combs.

I will agree with you that white egg layers (mediterranean birds) do not thrive in northern climates, are more prone to being super flighty, and even aggressive. But, I've even done well with those by choosing rose combed brown leghorns.

 

[Mini Horses]

I have pure Marans (Copper & Blue), RIR, Americana, White Leghorn & a mixed one (who is a super guy!) Have Super Blue, EE, BR, BO & RIR hens. I pen some for breeding, some not. But most of the roos are contained until I choose to put with hens. Several Marans are in bachelor quarters

Some of my Marans eggs are real dark, others not as...but, all have a far darker hue than the BO & BR browns. The Super Blues I got from My Pet Chickens a couple years ago. They are mixed and have leghorn in them, more flighty than the big girls but, great setters/moms & excellent layers, lrg eggs (the leghorn genes!). I am penning 6 with my Americana roo about March, for stronger color in the offsprings eggs Experiments. He is from a much darker blue egg line. It's fun.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

I have one hatchery EE who lays a lovely HUGE blue egg. She didn't start laying till she was 10 months old. But it was worth the wait. All the rest of the EE are flock bred from hatchery EE or Ameraucana (from shipped eggs) stock. My roos are Buck eye and EE. Not pleased with the EE conformation, so I'll replace him as soon as I get a better cockerel. I keep a closed flock, won't bring in anything other than hatching eggs, and occasionally hatchery chicks.

 

[Mini Horses]

Yeah, mostly I do same. Bought a dozen yr old RIRs from a breeder this past summer. Last bought before were day old chicks from MPC couple yrs ago. Others, hatched here. I'll have broodies this yr and may buy some eggs to bring in new blood. Have several older hens that I will not carry into next winter, probably.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Time to change up the details re: cleaning up the dog poop in the yard. I've been putting it in a dedicated compost bin. Lately, I'm seeing more animal tracks crossing the yard (coming from the woods, and visiting the old coop and garden before taking a short cut to the road). So, it's time to start doing the "poop fling". Tossing those stink nuggets along the borders of my yard, being sure to get them where the paths are coming out of the woods. I'm also tossing it at the back side of the orchard, and around the drip line of the trees. In my yard, NOTHING goes to waste, even dog poop!

 

[Lazy Gardener]

This evening at sunset, there was an owl across the street at Bob's house. He (the owl) was hooting, and being answered by one in the far distance. I told Hubby about it when he got home. A few minutes later, I announced that I was going to go out and shut up the coop, stating that I didn't want Mr. Owl to find his way into the run, b/c he would then march into the coop and eat a chicken. Hubby, in his usual punny form, didn't miss a beat: "He can't. He's barred."