From the very day our baby chicks arrived, March 6, 2012, while I was happy to have them to hold and pet, what I really wanted was fresh eggs. Some will debate whether there’s a difference in yard eggs versus the typical storebought eggs. I cannot quite figure out how anyone doesn’t see the difference. To me, there’s a huge visual difference, from the thick shells that I have to hit much harder against the counter for them to crack, to the bright yellow/orange yolk that dares to be broken, to the white that has no watery appearance at all.
Have you ever seen the living conditions of the chickens who produce most of the eggs for grocery stores? That makes me so sad. Our chickens have learned to listen for our back door to open. Whether we’re coming to see them or not, the minute our back door opens, they run as fast as they can to the corner . . like they’re seeing who will get to us first. They’re loved and they know it!
So . . we got our chickens on March 6 and on July 4, we got our first egg but those first eggs are quite small. They’re called pullet eggs because pullets are young hens and their first eggs are small til they get everything figured out.
They’re figuring it out. Egg on the right was from the middle of last week. Egg on the left was from yesterday. Egg on the right weighed 1.4 ounces. Yes, I weigh them all. Eventually I will stop weighing them unless I get a really huge one.
2.6 to 3 ounces is about what I expect from my chickens. The largest egg I ever got from the chickens was almost 4 ounces and it had a message on the end of it! 🙂
The big egg looks huge in the carton with the smaller eggs. Soon, the eggs will be so big that even the XL cartons will barely close around them. I believe it’s time to make a pound cake . . maybe the Barf Cake. Maybe not . . that might make me miss Chad too much.
The light red chickens are the Golden Comets or Gold Stars and they’re the same breed I had in Missouri. They are so friendly! If you open the egg door or the main coop door, you’d better be ready to catch a chicken because they’re flying right into your arms. They know that the first one there is usually the one I’ll pick up and pet for a while. The Production Reds have been real standoffish but now that they’ve started laying, they’re just as friendly as the Gold Stars. There are 13 hens in the main chicken coop/pen now and they all want to be petted and held when I go out. No wonder there’s no time for quilting these days. I’m busy holding chickens! 🙂
I’m so happy to have friendly, happy, laying hens again.
CJ says
Ive only had farm fresh eggs once in my life,(that I remember) and there really is a difference. enjoy.
Linda Steller says
Ah, nothing like contented laying hens. We lived right next to a small chicken farm when I was a little girl. I got our eggs each week from Mrs. Takach, and a pail of milk a couple times a week from Mrs. Nagy, who was two doors down from her. Well, I lived on Barn Hill Rd! 😉 Mrs. Takach really liked me because she had a grandson Wayne who was my age and she was just sure we were a match made in heaven. I did have a crush on him for a while, but he was blonde, and I soon found I like the tall dark and handsome ones better!
Erin says
Awe ????this post put a smile on my face! So happy you are happy along with the chickens!
Jojo says
My girls should start laying in November….thanks for the “egg education”!
Dorothy Schreyer says
I get eggs from a lady at work, when she has extra, I can sure tell the difference! I so prefer the free range, happy chicken eggs!
Hilary McDaniel says
Lucky you. We’ve never had double yolks. We get some huge eggs but they all are singles. I’m getting fed up at the silkies, they don’t lay. We have 15 girls and I’m lucky to get 3 eggs a week. Louie said they had been genetically messed with too much. They aren’t layers now. It’s a shame cause they are soooo cute. Their eggs are teeny, though. I guess I just need to enjoy them as pets.
Carol says
I’m sitting here with a smile on my face. I’m so glad all your hens have come around.
Mary says
I put my pullet hens into the big coop last night. They decided to create a chicken pile in a corner behind the waterer. When I went in to check on them, they all wanted to sit with Mama Hen. Good thing they’re only 10 weeks old!