Our newest silkie pullets.

I just wanted to take a few moments to introduce you to a few of our newest Silkie chickens. These girls have been added to last years breeding group. Some of them came from our stock, others came from a breeder in Florida.

Silkie pullets

Splash silkie Pullet: Jenny Jenny

Black silkie pullet: Cute Thing

Partridge pullet: Mrs Puff

We also added 1 white, 2 blue, 1 lavender and 1 other black pullet. Our new silkie cockerels are: white, black, partridge and blue.

Aren't they the cutest?

~Lisa

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Why the deep litter method never works for me!

The deep litter method is my absolute favorite coop bedding method. It's easy to do, very low maintenance and perfect for winter. Except, the deep litter method never works for me in the big coop! I can use it with no problem in all of my other coops and it works perfectly. It's just the one coop I have a problem with, and it's a very simple reason why.

It all started when I read about the deep litter method on a very busy chicken forum. What is the deep litter method you ask? It's not changing the coop litter all winter long. Who doesn't like that idea, right? So I did some research and learned more about it on Mother Earth news and got started.

It sounds simple but it is just a little bit more involved: add DE, add wood shavings and mix often. DE= food grade diatomaceous earth. Every week, add a little more litter, some DE and mix again. The chickens mix it too so that helps the whole process. 

Award winning chicken photos

I never thought when I started taking photos of the things I see around me that anything would come of it. I see so many pretty, cute, or funny things everyday. It's just natural to want to capture that. To keep it. To share it. Well, that's how it started! Funny how things in life have a way of taking off when you least expect it...isn't it?

Update 2020: I took up photography seriously because of my success luck with my poultry pictures! That lasted about 7 years and now I'm back to focusing on just chickens. If you want to learn how to take great pictures of your chickens check out: How to take better pictures of your chickens for all my best tips and tricks!

Chicken pictures

Let's start with Mr Copper's crowing picture. I thought it was hilarious how every time he crows his eyes bugged out. Did you know, that a rooster cannot crow without extending his neck? It's true. It also makes for a pretty funny 'face' when they crow.

So I decided to try to catch a picture of it for my non-farm friends. I crawled through the grass for over an hour, following him around snapping every crow. This ended up being my favorite. It has won 1 contest, and placed into the finals in another.

Next my egg/candy photo.I have always had people asking me what color eggs my Marans lay. Quite frankly I've seen several color charts and none of them were exactly the same. So it got me thinking "what can I put in a picture with the eggs, that everybody knows the color of?" Hershey's chocolate of course.

Funny thing about this photo...I didn't even realize it had made it into the finals of a photo contest until Katie saw it and emailed me! Thanks Katie!

We won second place for this picture!

Lastly came an email that still has me breaking out into a smile when I think about it. This photo was uploaded into an online gallery. Last week I got an email from Mother Earth news magazine asking me if they could print it in their magazine. Talk about being rendered speechless! It's a picture of our Araucana hen Muff Muff.

 

I'm so excited to see my photo in print! I don't think I'll ever get past the thrill of seeing one of my photos posted/chosen somewhere. It's just so exciting! I'm just glad that people enjoy my photography.

It's one of those few things in life.....when I see something I really like, I want to keep it so I take a picture. Because I take the picture, now I can share it. There aren't many things you can keep and share at the same time....at least that's my philosophy!

~L

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Dealing with multiple chicken predators

Well...it finally happened. I must have jinxed myself by saying "We don't really have a problem with predators" too many times. Somebody slap me! *sigh* A few weeks ago a grumpy guinea went missing. (she was grumpy with me for stealing her keets) 

It happened the day after I took away the babies she had helped to brood. They are NOT very good mamas at all, and the situation was quickly going south....but I digress. 

When she went missing I assumed she had taken over the only nest I couldn't find. I watched every day and count the guineas so when she came back to eat I could follow her back to her nest. I never saw her, but they do look an awful lot alike and I thought that I was just missing her. So I faithfully followed those guineas around day after day but they never went to visit her. I was sure she'd come back with babies in tow a few weeks later.

2 days ago I went outside to see what the guineas were screaming about (again) and found a puff of feathers in the yard. Blue Marans feathers. Ut-oh. I looked and looked, but nothing. Finally I took the dogs into the woods and wouldn't you know, they found feathers!

Marans eggs

It's only taken 3 years, but I think I finally have my marans eggs where I want them! We have French Black Copper Marans chickens. Marans lay a beautiful chocolate colored egg made famous by French chefs and of course James Bond! 

Here in the real world one of Mr Bonds omelets would easily cost upwards of $30. Most people don't eat such a pricey egg, they are much more valuable when hatched! 

Chocolate brown Marans eggs

The funny thing about Marans though is that while they start out around 5 months old, laying that lovely dark brown egg....it often fades to a medium brown within a few months. My goal has been to breed a Marans who lays the same color egg throughout her laying career. The eggs in the above picture are from my 1 and 2 year old hens.

I do believe the egg color could be darker, and I'm working on that. These things do take time though and for now, I am thrilled with the progress I have made!

~Lisa

Want information on raising chickens sent right to your email weekly? Click right here to join my list and get new posts sent directly to you the day they're published. You'll also get the free download 25 Ways to save money raising chickens.