The kids and I have wanted hens for quite some time now. In the fall of 2022, we finally made the plunge when a good friend text and said that she could get us laying hens! UH, YES PLEASE!
I went on the search for the perfect coop, and even purchased some plans to build one. Before we went for wood, I did one last search online (because we were crazy busy with work and home life already) and came across something that I thought would work perfectly for us with just getting started. Coops 4 chicks built a cute little 5'x12' coop for us to fit our 15+ new laying girls. They delivered it to us right before a nice big snow sprinkling. They were moved in that night after we put a sand bottom down and added bedding to the hen house.
Our girls free range during the day and get locked up at night (we live on a creek line and those critters are not so friendly). We currently are getting around 9-12 eggs per day and typically have a few extra dozen per week to sell to friends and family. I am very new to chickens and don't know the specifications on laying for each bird, but some do lay every single day! We're so thankful. We have a handful of different breeds including buff orpingtons, road island reds, and many barred rocks, among a few others. We get a pretty nice selection of colored eggs! We chose to use a non-gmo feed which we order in from a local grainery. We've even turned a few friends onto the feed and they are seeing much more laying success with it!
We don't wash our eggs and actually leave them sit right in a cute basket on the countertop (they have a protective coating). When we're ready to fry up breakfast or bake a tasty treat, we just rinse good and go!
Containers used: Amazon click here
Enjoy a few images of our chicken adventures below!
The girls enjoying their new coop.
The favorite below, Princess, named by the kids. And, she is the ultimate princess.
We really love our girls, and we even throw some tasty kitchen scraps out to them daily to spoil them. Please let me know if you have any questions about getting chickens and I'll do my best to help!
Comments