Found 119 hits.

The Best Apple Pie – Recipes

Forget what you might know about apple pie, those gloppy fillings that taste more of sugar than fruit. Forget the pies that taste like candied apples. The best apple pies have a balance of sweet to tart, they have a sharp fruit flavor that has you thinking of orchards and rain. The crust flakes and crumbles in your mouth and the apples somehow have bite and yet are soft. That’s a perfect apple pie. Here is how you make it: First of all, you need the right apples. Pass by the Delicious, the Braeburn and the Fuji. If the only...

Handling and Storing Eggs – Recipes

...white thins and the yolks flatten. The chalazae – which look like white strings that hold the yolk centered – disappear. The fluids inside shrink and air pockets form. The membrane just inside the shell toughens. The egg takes on flavors and aromas from the outside, which is why it’s best to keep them protected in cartons. Throughout all of these changes, a refrigerated egg will remain edible for ten weeks, but will taste best within the first three. Long-term Egg Storage Before refrigeration, people were desperate for a safe way to store eggs. They oiled them, packed them in...

Pecking Order – FAQ – Health and Behavior

...how we manage their care. It’s up to us to control the flock dynamics to have the best scenario, that of a peaceful, healthy flock where everyone lives amicably together. Pecking order, and as the term implies, is established by using their beaks. But, that does not mean that the hens spend their days attacking each other. A group of chickens should quickly reach an agreement, and each hen will know her status. Status determines who gets the best tidbit and who gets to sleep in the prime spot on the roosts. Think of the pecking order as a resource...

The Best Scrambled Eggs – Recipes

...a fork, stirred them up with a splash of milk and a pinch of kosher salt. Put the eggs to cook over medium heat. As the egg set, move them gently about with a spatula.   In about three minutes, you’ll have perfect scrambled eggs.   Scrambled eggs are perfect this way, but also excellent embellished with cheese and/or sautéed vegetables. Sausage is good, too. Such scrambled eggs make the best dinner when you don’t feel like cooking at all. But again, they’re the best because they’re not fussy. (Recipes can be found in my Farmstead Egg Guide and Cookbook.)...

Cold Weather Care – FAQ – Housing

...Chickens do not need insulated houses. (Although coops in extreme temperatures, like those found in North Dakota and Alaska will benefit.) But, poultry do need shelter that is out of the wind and free of drafts. At the same time, it shouldn’t be at all damp. Manure contains a lot of water, and in the winter, when the coop is closed up, this can make the air unhealthy and the hens prone to respiratory illness. I keep my coops shoveled out weekly and bedded with fresh pine shavings. Also, good ventilation is a must – it’s best to have vents...

Children’s Books Featuring Chickens – FAQ

Chickens are innately comical and some of the best children’s book authors and illustrators have tapped into that to create wonderfully fun books. Here are my favorites. Please contact me if you have a suggestion to add to this list! Of course, I have to start this list with my very own book. Tillie Lays an Egg by Terry Golson, photos by Ben Fink 2009 Farm by Elisha Cooper 2010 What I love about this book is that it is set on a real Midwest farm, with tractors, dust and chores. It resembles, in the best of ways, the Provensen’s...

Introduction to Chicken Keeping – FAQ – Health and Behavior

...flock to get eggs for your table (many breeds lay 5 eggs a week), but it is best to have a minimum of three hens, as they are sociable creatures who like the companionship of others of their kind. In the winter they fluff up next to their friends, and in the summer they’ll dust bathe in groups. If the idea of a rooster keeps you from having chickens, don’t worry. You don’t need to have a rooster around for the hens to lay eggs, in fact, “the girls” appear quite content to not have a male in their midst,...

Easy Summer Tomato Sauce – Recipes

...As much as I love homemade tomato sauce, I hate the task of peeling the tomatoes by blanching in boiling water. There’s all of that steam, and the ice baths to cool things, and the overall mess and heat of it. This year, I’ve discovered the soft vegetable peeler. I got it for the peaches, and it works beautifully on tomatoes! It’s got a serrated blade and peels quickly and without waste. I am in love. Coarsely chop the tomatoes. Set aside in a bowl. Go out to the garden and pick herbs. I have sage, oregano, basil and rosemary...

Baked Beets – Recipes

...baking dish. To ease clean-up, I enclose them in heavy foil. These are juicy beets, but I add two tablespoons of water anyway, to ensure that they steam as they bake. Put the dish in a 350º F oven for 90 minutes. I like to eat plain baked beets right out of the oven – they’re like vegetable candy. I like them chilled atop a green salad. I also like to dress them and eat as a side-dish. Beets pair particularly well with citrus. Baked Beets with Orange Dressing 1 pound baked beets, peeled and cubed 2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed orange...

Bumblefoot – FAQ – Health and Behavior

...anything nasty inside. I squirted in some more antibiotic ointment and bandaged her once more. That bandage fell off two days later and upon inspection, the foot pad appeared healed. I let it be. A week later the foot seems healthy again. Compare it to the other foot. There’s nothing pretty about chicken feet, especially on older hen’s dirty, scaly, lumpy feet. But, having seen this foot ballooned up with infection, it looks darn good now. I’ve talked with others who have more experience than I with bumblefoot. Some chickens get recurring infections. Some, despite surgery, never recover. I hope...

A New Blog – HenBlog – Monday, May 2, 2016

...my heart for all the knowledge you have shared over these many years. My flock is healthy and happy; housed well, fed well and cared for practically and kindly due in a large part to YOU. Thank you and I wish you the very BEST BEST BEST of luck on the Cooperative Horse as well as any other venture you embrace in the years to come. Terry, you truly have inspired me and I am grateful. God bless you and your family always! Terry Golson It's so affirming to hear that there are happy and healthy flocks out there because...

Steamed Eggs – HenBlog – Wednesday, March 2, 2011

The perfect hard-cooked egg is cooked by steam. Thank-you to Terry P’s comment yesterday, saying that steaming eggs for twenty minutes make eggs easy to peel, I decided to do some investigating on my own. I took freshly laid (that day!) eggs, put them in a steamer basket, and to my great surprise, the peels came off easily. What was going on? You food science geeks out there might have a more detailed explanation, (and I’d be happy to hear it) but basically, steam is a gas and so is able to penetrate the egg shell’s pores. The steam toughens...

Gail Damerow Visits The HenCam (and a giveaway!) – HenBlog – Thursday, March 15, 2012

...trained to follow a target stick and stand still when it stopped. Karen Pryor is a good friend - I learned from the best! Terry Golson I've used straw and found it to to be not at all absorbent and the manure gets all smashed in it. Chaff (chopped straw) is better, but still not great. Around here, the best bedding is pine shavings. They smell fresh, are absorbent, and not too expensive. Lisa Bell I would ask her a lot of questions! We've had our chicks for two weeks now. Maybe the most fun question, what has she done...

The Best Apple Pie – The Vintage Hen – Friday, November 1, 2013

Forget what you might know about apple pie, those gloppy fillings that taste more of sugar than fruit. Forget the pies that taste like candied apples. The best apple pies have a balance of sweet to tart, they have a sharp fruit flavor that has you thinking of orchards and rain. The crust flakes and crumbles in your mouth and the apples somehow have bite and yet are soft. That’s a perfect apple pie. Here is how you make it: First of all, you need the right apples. Pass by the Delicious, the Braeburn and the Fuji. If the only...

Windmill Weight – The Vintage Hen – Friday, July 13, 2012

...made hundreds, and once in awhile one was crafted on the farm where it was used. The best windmill weights have that folk art aesthetic of whimsical and yet modern. The weights were out in severe weather and show their age and the hammering of elements. A few years ago there was a spate of articles about windmill weights in the shelter magazines, and prices skyrocketed, the best examples going for thousands, and a more common weight still reaching $1,000. The one that I didn’t snatch up was was priced at only $250. It might have been the best deal...

Poultry At The Fair – The Vintage Hen – Monday, October 1, 2012

...think that going to a poultry show remains the best way to learn about chicken breeds. I was at the Fryeburg Fair this weekend, so of course took a look in the Poultry Barn where I lucked out to see the judging. I like to see which birds pleased the judges, and so try to improve my own eye for quality. (BV = Best of Variety, BB = Best of Breed) I think that J. C. Johnson would have wanted this cockerel in his flock. I know that I’ve added a polka-dotted bird to my wish-list of chickens to get....

Why Not to Keep Roosters – HenBlog – Thursday, August 14, 2014

...the one that you get attached to. I’ve sent them all away. Luckily for those boys, I know people, and have been able to find them homes that needed roosters. That’s not usually the case. In the past, and this is not the recent past, but more like eighty to a hundred years ago, chickens were kept for both meat and eggs, and so the male birds were useful. They were what you had for Sunday chicken dinners. The only roosters that remained with the hens were the very best of the best. Before the advent of mail order hatcheries...

The Best Scrambled Eggs – HenBlog – Monday, February 17, 2014

...Sausage is good, too. Such scrambled eggs make the best dinner when you don’t feel like cooking at all. But again, they’re the best because they’re not fussy. (Recipes can be found in my Farmstead Egg Guide and Cookbook.) Making scrambled eggs complicated seems so… wrong… to me. Besides, I’d never add extra yolks. The two yolks in my breakfast eggs are so flavorful and colorful that I don’t need to add more. However, notice the muffin in the background of the photo, that recipe does need tweaking. I’m working on a not-too sweet honey whole wheat breakfast muffin. When...

Horse Friendships – HenBlog – Friday, October 24, 2014

...Monday, Maggie knew that I was going to take Tonka into the barn. She tried to block me.   Tonka said hello as best he could. Over her neck.   Under her neck.   Maggie is a sweet mare. I told her that I was willing to share. She agreed to that.   It’s good for Tonka to have another woman in his life, one with a tail for swishing flies, and teeth to give back scratches, and that keeps him company for all of those hours that I’m not at the barn. It’s okay, because we’re still best friends....

Observation not Assumptions – HenBlog – Friday, July 17, 2015

...grass pasture. The trade-off at this barn is excellent care, facilities, and people, and the trainer that I want to work with.) Perhaps I should consider Maggie Tonka’s exercise coach? There are only thirteen horses at Tonka’s barn. The barn owners try their best to be match-makers. Tonka has yet to find a best buddy. Tonka and Maggie get along fine when there’s no food involved. Being with Maggie is better than being in a paddock by himself. Maggie will have to do for now. In any event, there was an easy solution to returning to the feeding detente between...

Pies – HenBlog – Thursday, October 16, 2008

...be about an hour altogether. You’ll know it’s done when the insides bubble and the crust browns. But, since different pie plates brown the crust at different rates and since ovens are often inexact, and if you were using a frozen pie shell it will take longer… the best way to know when the pie is done is by smell. The aroma of a baked apple pie is simply different than one that isn’t ready yet. And the best way to learn what that wonderful aroma is by experience. So – off you go to bake lots and lots of...

The Chicken I Eat – HenBlog – Friday, June 15, 2012

I’m not a vegetarian. I believe that animals have a place in agriculture and in our diet. Meat raised on pastures and on farms that integrate animals into the whole picture is a sustainable and conscientious food source. On the other hand, meat produced in confined feed lots and in concrete buildings is wrong on many levels. I limit my consumption of such meat, but I’m not a hard-core locavore. If my friend, who makes the best fried chicken in the entire world, invites me over for dinner, I’ll be there in flash (hint, hint, Giuia.) If I’m at a...

Friends – HenBlog – Monday, August 7, 2006

...other, feathers touching. One watches what the other is eating, but rarely tries to steal it. There is little competition, but lots of guttural, cheerful clucking between them. On the other hand, put in two hens who are not best friends and they eye each other greedily and snatch morsels out from under the other. They will wander several feet away from the other. They cluck a bit louder and without quite as much chuckle. The two not-best-friends hens are still happy out there in the pumpkin patch, but it is clear that being with a friend is even better....

Dining Out – HenBlog – Thursday, August 9, 2007

...spends much of his time sourcing ingredients, is just the way I like it- dishes sparkling with color, and with flavors that speak of the ingredients. It doesn’t hurt that the breads and desserts are made with care on the premises. (I live and die by the bread basket.) Best of all, after a three-course meal, I felt sated but not bloated. The best thing to do after a meal at the Sheppard Mansion is to spend the night there. I had to do that, too, for my research. (Yes, it’s a hard job, but someone has to do it!)...

Buffy – HenBlog – Thursday, January 2, 2014

...this news for some time now. I even thought Buffy might not be there when I attended your chicken keeping workshop this past year. She was a great hen and led the best of lives with great people and the best of caregivers. Lucky lady. Mikayla I was always thought about Buffy. Sad that she passed, but she had a FABULOUS life with you Terry. It's amazing how chickens can touch our hearts in the neatest little ways. sue noy Rest in peace Buffy, it was good to watch you on the hencam. A lot of people are going to...

A Second Cochlear Implant – HenBlog – Tuesday, February 28, 2012

...bird songs! laura h Good luck and fast healing! Michelle Best wishes for a successful surgery. Betsey F Best wishes from me, too, for successful surgery. Besides birdsongs, you'll be able to hear my favorite Spring song, the Spring Peepers! Our peepers are busy early this year, they started February 23ird. Ken Prays sent your way. The best of all luck to you. Laura Terry, I think you will be very happy you were courageous and went for the second implant. Praying for your doctors and your quick recovery! Diane from Vermont Best wishes on your surgery and a fast...

A Break From the Barn – HenBlog – Tuesday, December 14, 2010

...for a speedy recovery, I'm sure all the animals will be rooting for you also!! Happy Holidays to you and yours. Jude Mowry Best of luck and I will be sending all of my positive thoughts to you. My movie recommendation is "Julie and Julia" and I see others liked it as well. Judy We'll be thinking of you Terry, with best wishes for a gentle and good recovery. Maybe Steve should put in a TerryCam that can be streamed into the henhouse, goat/chicken barn and Candy's hutch. My favorite "cure all" movie is "The King of Hearts" (1967) with...

Goat Notes Giveaway! – HenBlog – Monday, November 15, 2010

...celebrate the re-opening of my Etsy shop, I’m having a drawing for a set of all five cards (and a small, surprise gift!) All you have to do is tell me the title of the photo that you like the best. To read the titles, click on each picture. It’ll link you right through to Etsy and you can see all the details. Leave your entry in the comments below. One entry per person, please. The contest closes Nov. 17 at midnight, EST. International entries are welcome! A winner will be picked using a random number generator. Best of luck!...

The Epsom Salt Cure – HenBlog – Thursday, February 24, 2011

...a chicken. In the years that I’ve had this peaceful chicken, that diarrhea comes and goes. Stress can cause real disease. My best guess is that it’s a yeast infection, possibly “vent gleet” or related to it. It’s stinky. It freezes when the temperatures plummet. At the least it’s uncomfortable for Buffy. At the worst it’s a symptom of a problem that needs to be remedied. Yeast is something that is very hard to get rid of. Managing it and minimizing the outbreak is the goal. Like so much of chicken care, there’s only a few items in the medicine...

My Take On Worming – HenBlog – Thursday, October 11, 2012

...to do anything that could endanger my chickens. Carol I think Terry has opened up a bag o' worms with this one! :) Terry Golson Everyone's space constraints are different. It's best to remove the chicken waste from the pen, but I think that you've come up with the second-best option of keeping it contained. The tiny flies, BTW, are immature big flies, so best to keep them down! I've found that a spritz of white vinegar infused with orange peels does the trick. Terry Golson My old poultry books all recommend lime as a way to preserve nutrients in...

Petunia – HenBlog – Sunday, December 26, 2010

Petunia died on Christmas Day, which, honestly, was a few days longer than I thought she’d last. She was one of my retirees. Hadn’t laid an egg for probably a year and a half. Her best production days were more than three years ago. She and Marge, who died last summer, were my two New Hampshire Reds, a breed I lucked into getting when a neighbor ordered extras from a hatchery in October of 2004. They’re brown-egg layers, friendly, docile and good foragers. I like how basic and sensible they look. Fancy chickens are fine, but the New Hampshire Reds...

Springtime? – HenBlog – Wednesday, March 27, 2013

I grow horseradish for only one reason: to make maror for Passover seder. It’s a basic raw sauce: grated horseradish and beets, white vinegar and a touch of sugar and salt. It’s delicious, but it’s one of those foods that somehow I get a craving for only once a year. It’s best when made with freshly dug horseradish. Horseradish is a deep tap root that spreads. That’s why I grow it on the far side of my vegetable garden. I keep it in check by feeding the leaves to the goats. They love helping me garden! This is my horseradish...

This and That Updates – HenBlog – Sunday, November 14, 2010

...heavy, dark metal pan (glass just doesn’t give you that same lovely browning.) Bake at 400 degrees F until they soften through and darken (time will vary with size of sprout.) Dust with a Parmesan Reggiano (the best you can get – never the powder from the can!) Delicious. The big story here of the past two weeks has been my son’s broken elbow. Thank you everyone for your well-wishes! I’ve been in awe of his attitude – he hasn’t once whined or complained, despite the pain, the surgery, the boredom of sitting, and the inability to play his favorite...

Happy Birthday, Scooter! – HenBlog – Wednesday, January 8, 2014

...could feel secure with. She needed a best buddy at home. So, I went looking for puppy under ten weeks of age. I like intelligent and athletic working dogs. I like mixed breeds. One constraint was size. Lily travels in the car in a large crate, and there was only room in the back for an additional small crate. A dog about twenty pounds would be right. Lily liked boys more than girls, so I’d get a neutered male. I perused PetFinder.com, and there was a corgi mix mama, who had three adorable pups up for adoption! She was exactly...

1000th Post Giveaway – HenBlog – Friday, September 7, 2012

...) I would hang my keys on it, that way it will always be with me to show all {**} Kris Cute, and such a great idea making these from the feed bag. Today, I would like to hang the key that would unlock that little piece of my brain that knows how to relax and take things slower. Feeling a bit frazzled these days. ;) You really have some exciting work coming up. That's wonderful! Chickadilly Square ( Kim Harper ) Shared this link of Facebook :-) jonquil Congratulations! Ideally, I would hang the keys to the perfect property...

The Austin Report and a Giveaway – The Vintage Hen – Monday, April 8, 2013

I love Austin. I flew down the last week of March with my friend, Lauren Scheuer and her lovely daughter, Sarah. I had a feeling it’d be a fun trip, after all, my traveling companions were the best, and we were going to see the Austin Funky Chicken Coop Tour. But, the visit exceeded my expectations. First of all, the city has the best signs. This one describes many of Austin’s neighborhoods, but this one captures the funk, the color and the western vibe. I also took this neon sign as a sign to go ahead and fulfill my dream...

There’s Always One in a Crowd – HenBlog – Tuesday, May 24, 2011

...like rag dolls. But, since training is never 100% I won’t ever take the risk and allow them to meet without a fence between them. Not all dogs are as movement-reactive as Lily. I know plenty of dogs that are fine with mature hens; my late, great Nimbus (an Australian Shepherd/Husky and the best dog in the world, ever) used to follow the chickens around and eat their poop (well, she was the best dog, but not perfect.) Lily chases hawks out of the sky. She’s a good dog, too. Even if she thinks that the chicks are squeak toys....

And the Winner Is…. – HenBlog – Thursday, November 18, 2010

… Pat! More than half of the entries liked The Meeting of the Minds notecard the best. What you should know about that photo is that I took it with my iphone camera – it was in no way posed. Pip’s natural inclination is to head butt with some force. After all, he is a goat, and that’s how he plays with Caper. But, I think that Candy did some sort of lop-eared mind meld that let him know he could say hello, if, and only if, he behaved. I actually saw him think about butting, and then gently get...

Pumpkins For Chickens – HenBlog – Friday, October 5, 2012

...a deep dark orange, quite in the Halloween spirit! But the best part about feeding pumpkins is the entertainment that it provides for your flock and for you. The Gems were immediately interested in this big orange thing in their midst. They soon began pecking a hole in the hard shell. This keeps them busy and out of trouble. It’s always a good thing when Agatha has something to keep her occupied. This is the best type of treat for your flock – one that’s stimulating and long-lasting. I put a pumpkin in with the retired girls. Candy likes gnawing...

Sick Hens – HenBlog – Monday, July 8, 2013

...One feels so frustrated when something like this happens in spite of the best efforts given :( Terry Golson I've written about what is in my chicken first aid kit here. Deborah Pruden I'm so sorry Terry. I hope everyone recovers soon. Deb sue noy Poor Ruby, her eye looked awful but how quickly she recovered, quite amazing in such a short time. I do hope the rest of your flock resist the worst of this illness, they are certainly in the best of hands xxx jennifer bevins My Delaware, Luna, has had a cold. Yesterday, she sneezed and sprayed...

Sick Hen – HenBlog – Wednesday, July 22, 2009

The best advice that I can give anyone is this: know your animals. You should be so acquainted with their quirks and vocalizations, their greetings and their eating habits, that as soon as something is off, you know it. This morning, when I went into the big barn to let the girls out for the morning, I noticed that Alma was still on the roost and not on the floor with the eager hens. I did my chores. I checked back. Alma had not rushed outside to get the corn. She looked hesitant to hop up and out the little...

How To Cook Chard – HenBlog – Tuesday, August 6, 2013

You never know what will be a success in the vegetable garden. This year my bell peppers withered and fell off of the plants. Total fail. But the chard keeps unfurling green, sturdy, and almost unscathed by pests. It requires frequent harvesting.   Before working with it in the kitchen, I give the leaves a quick wash to get the worst of the dirt off.   It’s best to cook the ribs and dark parts separately so that the tender leaves don’t turn to mush while waiting for the ribs to soften. The easiest way to separate them is simply...

Broody Coop – HenBlog – Friday, April 8, 2011

...in and out of a typical nesting box that’s a foot off the ground. Those chicks will be running around the first day and you don’t want them tumbling to the ground. Secondly, unless you have a lot of space, the other hens in the flock will not be kind to the little ones. Mama will do her best to keep the babies from being pecked, but if it’s crowded, you’ll have bloodshed. Also, the chicks need special food for the first few weeks; to make sure that they get it, but not your entire flock, they need to be...

Greens – HenBlog – Monday, May 7, 2012

...quickly and eat at the just wilted stage, or cook at length in a cook broth with a flavor booster, like a ham hock. Young greens like these are best sautéed; tougher greens are best done in the long simmer. For both methods, the leaves shrink to a fraction of their raw volume, so always pick more than you think you can eat. To prepare the first greens from my garden, I heated a large sauté pan, tipped in a touch of fragrant olive oil, and tossed in the greens. (They were so young and tender that I left the...

The Traveling Hen – HenBlog – Sunday, October 18, 2009

On Thursday I took one of my “actresses who plays Tillie” (in this case, Coco) for a drive. It was a long trip – 130 miles each way – but Coco was quite comfortable. Some hens do not like to leave the coop. My Australorps get upset if they are brought into a different section of the barn! Some hens don’t like to leave their friends. I couldn’t possibly take Marge somewhere without her best buddy, Petunia. But, my Bantam White Leghorns have no problem leaving the flock. The three of them all have prima donna attitudes and I think...

Compost Surprises – HenBlog – Wednesday, October 3, 2007

...right about now – a surprise grows and ripens. One year I had huge pumpkin vines twined on the chicken fence and a ten pound pumpkin hanging two feet off of the ground. This year these tomatoes appeared. The best part of this surprise, this gift, is that I don’t remember ever buying tomatoes that look like this. But somehow, the seeds found their way into my compost, then into my asparagus bed (!) and then, ignored for the entire summer, the plants yielded these stunningly beautiful golden-striped, absolutely delicious, best tomatoes I’ve ever grown. Anyone know what they are?...

On The Road – HenBlog – Thursday, March 11, 2010

I’m leaving first thing tomorrow morning on a road trip to the Adirondacks. I’ve got a 300 mile drive. The weather won’t be great – it’ll be raining, but that’s better than snow in the mountains. Despite the lack of sun, I’m looking forward to the trip. My best friend, who I met at UNH when we were both working towards a BS in Animal Science, lives in the southern end of the Adirondacks. I’ll get to spend the night at her home. Melissa lives in a house that she built herself (really built, as in did the hard work...

Pecked to Death – HenBlog – Tuesday, March 11, 2008

...or vicious. It’s just who they are. Chickens peck at each other all of the time. The term “pecking order” comes from flock dynamics. Chickens let each other know who has first dibs to the best food and the best roost by using their beaks. They rarely hurt each other. It’s simply how they communicate. But, sometimes something happens that upsets the equilibrium. Yesterday, I went to my friend’s coop to solve the mystery of why her established flock now had hens with gaping wounds and one rooster shivering on a high roost. The first thing to ask is “has...

When Packaging is Everything – HenBlog – Monday, September 8, 2008

I love going into fancy gourmet shops, where there are a world of cheeses. I have a weakness for jars of fruit preserves, especially for ones filled with combinations, like nectarines and apricots, or anything with rhubarb. Many of these shops are tiny and the best have edited their selections to the most unique and beautiful products. I get the best ideas! Next year I will grow brussel sprouts and kale to use in floral arrangements! But sometimes the goods are too precious and too expensive. Silly, really. Look what I saw today: Six eggs, mostly from bantams, in a...

Trimming The Goats’ Hooves – HenBlog – Wednesday, September 18, 2013

One task that all goat keeper have to do, that we never look forward to, is trimming our goats’ hooves. Hooves grow like fingernails. Wild goats wear their feet down by clambering over rocks. My goats have an easy life on grass. I have to give them pedicures. You can imagine that my goats do not want to stand still while I take a sharp pair of hoof trimmers to their feet.     You’d be right. You might imagine that bending over to do this task would be awkward at best. You’d be right. Even with the goat standing...

How I Saved Eleanor – HenBlog – Monday, September 1, 2008

Not quite two weeks ago, I noticed that Eleanor, the Barred Rock, was limping. Sometimes hens sprain a muscle jumping off roosts. I didn’t worry about her. But the next day she was moving even more stiffly, so I picked her up and examined her. This is what I saw: Her bottom was red, swollen, hot and had feather loss. I immediately put her in an isolation stall to keep the other hens from pecking at the red skin, and so that I could treat her. Also, a chicken’s droppings are the best way to diagnose what is wrong. Keeping...

Scooter – HenBlog – Tuesday, July 3, 2007

...underbite, and at 5-weeks when I peered into Scooter’s mouth, it didn’t look perfect then, but I had no inkling that he’d have such a toy dog face with a jutting lower jaw. Luckily, Scooter’s bark is as deep as a St. Bernard’s (he scares delivery men!), he’s got a terrier’s attitude, nothing fazes him, including my big, athletic, smart dog, Lily (who thinks that Scooter is the best toy I’ve ever brought her) and, best of all, Scooter cuddles with my kids (something that Lily doesn’t do). Everyone is ecstatic about this addition to our household. Surprisingly, even me....

Agatha At School – HenBlog – Thursday, January 12, 2012

Yesterday Agatha and I spent the day at an elementary school. We met with four groups, about 125 children in all. I read Tillie Lays an Egg. Agatha demonstrated how chickens eat, (No teeth! She grinds food with the rocks in her gizzard!) and drinks (No lips! She tilts her head back!) She also pooped, once while on my lap. For the five-year olds, that might have been the best part. Did you know that birds don’t pee? It all comes out in one plop. That’s a fact that I’m sure those children shared with their parents at dinner that...

Pecking Order – HenBlog – Thursday, July 19, 2012

...how we manage their care. It’s up to us to control the flock dynamics to have the best scenario, that of a peaceful, healthy flock where everyone lives amicably together. All flocks have a pecking order, and as the term implies, it is established by using their beaks. But, that does not mean that the hens spend their days attacking each other. A group of chickens should quickly reach an agreement, and each hen will know her status. Status determines who gets the best tidbit and who gets to sleep in the prime spot on the roosts. Despite the fact...

Lulu and Buffy are Friends – HenBlog – Friday, June 27, 2008

Before Buffy became sick and Lulu got injured, they were two independent birds. Perhaps because they were the only ones of their breeds, perhaps due to their personalities, they didn’t have best friends. Watch the HenCam for any length of time and you’ll see chickens in pairs. One viewer even said that the white hens reminded her of synchronized swimmers! But Buffy and LuLu were each on their own. For the last few weeks Buffy and Lulu have been forced into togetherness as they recuperated together in a stall in the big barn. Now that they are in the HenCam...

Chicken Tote Giveaway! – The Vintage Hen – Sunday, July 8, 2012

...in 1895 and has this to say about chicken feed: “On every egg farm there should be a large boiler or steam cooker for cooking vegetables and making compounds of meat, ground grain and vegetables.” That makes me appreciate being able to buy a bag of pellets at the Agway! By the 1920s grain mills were marketing bags of chicken feed. It wasn’t hard to convince the small flock owner of the convenience of this product. By the Depression, competition for customers was fierce and money was tight. Cloth sacks were printed with patterns that the frugal homemaker turned into...

Chicken Frostbite and Wind – HenBlog – Wednesday, January 14, 2015

...rising out of their drinker. As the volume of water drops later in the day from the drinker, I believe the water heater platform is warming the water enough to create steam. Not a problem early in the day when the volume is high but very much a problem as the day closes and water volume is lower. Their drinker is never less than ½ full but I believe its low enough to set the stage for the steam. Combined with the bitter cold winds I believe this was my cocktail for frostbite. The good news is this is an...

Scooter and I Graduate – HenBlog – Sunday, January 18, 2015

...certainly teach an old dog new tricks! Before we began, he didn’t do much more than turn his head if you said his name, and even then, he rarely looked for eye contact with humans. Rather, being a little guy (only eleven pounds) and close to the floor, he paid attention to our feet. Unlike other dogs who make connections – the jingling of keys means a car ride is imminent – Scooter went through his days oblivious. For example, he has never connected the leash with going for walks (which, by the way, he loves.) Despite being a dog...

Digging Dandelions – HenBlog – Wednesday, April 18, 2012

...do want these pretty little flowers. So, I dig up the dandelions, one by one. If I do about four minutes a day of digging, I can keep the dandelions under control. It’s a tedious chore and it makes my back ache. But, I do get immediate gratification because I have a cheering section. The chickens eagerly scarf up the dandelions. Dark, leafy greens are essential to a flock’s health, and what with how high feed prices have gone up, I feel quite frugal giving them this treat. Candy eats the flowers and the greens. They are also very good...

At The Flea Market – The Vintage Hen – Wednesday, July 11, 2012

This is Brimfield week, when a tiny town in the middle of nowhere hosts one of the largest flea markets on the East Coast. Pastures become fields of booths, filled with just about anything old, dusty and damaged, precious and antique, and useless and weird. There are a only a few booths selling reproductions, and too many vendors selling repros without realizing it. You have to be careful. Prices can be very good, or way out of line. It’s that sort of place. I love it. With so much to look at, it’s hard to sift through it all and...

Slow Cooker Tomato Sauce – HenBlog – Wednesday, August 19, 2015

It’s a sweltering day. The last thing that I want to do is to work in a hot kitchen over a steaming pot. But my tomatoes can’t wait. Fresh tomatoes don’t store well. If put into the refrigerator they turn mealy and their flavor deteriorates. Right now I have a bag of garlic grown by a neighbor, oregano and basil bursting from pots, and a six sturdy tomato plants that are all producing record numbers of healthy fruit. I have to make sauce. Thank goodness for my Auto Amazon Links: No products found. http_request_failed: A valid URL was not provided....

The Pie List – HenBlog – Tuesday, December 2, 2014

...Cortlands. Classic Apple Pie. The cinnamon stick adds flavor and is also the steam vent.   Cranberry Apple Pie with a Oatmeal, Pecan, Crystalized Ginger Crumble. (Here’s a version of that topping.)   Lemon Pie. The easiest recipe, ever. Of course, there were pies made with chocolate. Tollhouse Pie, and also a version with mint chocolate chips.   Chocolate Chunk, Pecan and Peanut Butter Chip Pie.   And, finally, this rich, complex Chocolate Pie with Mascarpone Whipped Cream. I made two of those and there’s a piece left in the fridge! Leftovers are the best part of the Pie Party....

The Ignored Garden – HenBlog – Thursday, May 8, 2014

...die. You’re supposed to let it be. (I did weed after taking this photograph.)   It’s early days yet for asparagus, but I harvested enough for dinner. The first handful is so very, very delicious that all I do is wash, break off the tough ends, and steam. I don’t even put any dressing on the spears.   Later on, I’ll use the recipe from my Farmstead Egg Guide and Cookbook for Asparagus with Poached Eggs and Smoked Salmon. A photo of this is on the cover, and I’ll also make Goat Cheese and Asparagus Custards (the recipe for that...

Egg and Croutons for Vegetables – HenBlog – Tuesday, March 8, 2011

What with all of the egg steaming and boiling, there’s been a bowl of hard-cooked eggs in my refrigerator to use. It’s far from home-grown vegetable season (more snow predicted for this weekend. Egads, I’ll never see my garden) but the broccoli from the supermarket has been very good this winter. After all of the soups and stews over the last few months, I’ve been craving light and bright and steamed. What I came up with was and egg and crouton mixture to top steamed vegetables. I can’t wait to use this on local asparagus, but for now, I’ll settle...

Baked Beets – HenBlog – Thursday, January 27, 2011

...beets will dye your hands bright red. It wears off in a day, and I knew I wasn’t going anywhere in this snow. Usually, though, I wear disposable gloves when I work with beets. Isn’t this beet looking prettier already? I love the color. I’m going to make baked beets, so I chop them and put them in a heavy baking dish. To ease clean-up, I enclose them in heavy foil. These are juicy beets, but I add two tablespoons of water anyway, to ensure that they steam as they bake. Put the dish in a 350º F oven for...

Easy Summer Tomato Sauce – HenBlog – Sunday, August 22, 2010

...As much as I love homemade tomato sauce, I hate the task of peeling the tomatoes by blanching in boiling water. There’s all of that steam, and the ice baths to cool things, and the overall mess and heat of it. This year, I’ve discovered the soft vegetable peeler. I got it for the peaches, and it works beautifully on tomatoes! It’s got a serrated blade and peels quickly and without waste. I am in love. Coarsely chop the tomatoes. Set aside in a bowl. Go out to the garden and pick herbs. I have sage, oregano, basil and rosemary...

Marge or Petunia? – HenBlog – Tuesday, February 17, 2009

...to be let out, right now! She’s the one to exclaim over tossed corn. She’s the one that watches me garden and asks, over and over, Where’s the bug? Give me the bug! Because Marge is so loud, when we did the photo shoot for Tillie Lays an Egg, I used Petunia for the photos. Marge was just too obnoxious. There’s no sound on HenCam, but there are other ways to tell these two girls apart. Petunia is skinnier and taller. You could compare combs. But the easiest way is to look for who is moving her beak the most....

A Life Transformed – HenBlog – Tuesday, December 17, 2013

...was hearing high pitches, lost to me for thirty years. Birdcalls became birdsong. For the first few months I used the CI on my left side, and my hearing aid in my right, but soon I stopped wearing the hearing aid because its sound was so muddied compared to the CI, that it interfered with clarity. That meant that I was hearing from one side only. I was constantly turning my head to pick up voices. My neck hurt! And without input from both sides, I had no idea where noises originated. Yes, I could now hear someone talking from...

Uneven Molt – HenBlog – Thursday, November 12, 2015

...feathers at the same time. I have no clue why these two hens are on different schedules. It might be health, or genetics, or something else. I don’t even know who’s who! One is Ruby, one is Garnet. Garnet used to have a blue band on her ankle so that I could tell them apart. That fell off. I used to be able to tell them apart by their tails, but now I can’t compare them, being as one of the chickens barely has a tail. So, I will call the molting hen Ruby. Unless one of you has been...

Phoebe’s Burrow – HenBlog – Monday, March 16, 2015

...bed in the coop on the roosts. Phoebe has to go inside as well, as she needs to stay safe from hunters that come out in the dark. Usually, when she sees me walking towards the coop she hops right up the ramp. She knows that a carrot or banana chip will be offered to her. Lately, though, those treats can’t compare to a nighttime hop-around her construction site. So, don’t worry if I haven’t closed the animals up right at sunset. We’re keeping an eye on things, and letting Phoebe play during what she considers the best winter, ever....

The Broody Hen – HenBlog – Monday, July 21, 2014

A broody hen is sight to behold. She’s perpetually in a furious mood. Here is Onyx in the nesting box. Note the erect feathers and the flattened posture.   Compare her to Ruby, who is in the box, laying an egg. More pleasant, isn’t she?   A broody hen will get out of the box, at least once daily, to eat, drink and dust bathe. She’ll still look angry.   Don’t be alarmed if you notice that your broody hen has pulled all of her feathers off of her chest. She’s not molting. She’s exposing her skin so that her...

Goat Belly – HenBlog – Monday, June 23, 2014

Given the chance, the goats would, in a matter of days, eat up everything within their meadow. So, I have moveable netting inside of their permanent fence. I move it about twice a week. This gives the plants that the goats like the best – the brambles, the tall weeds, and the shrubs – a chance to grow. The other day I opened up a particularly overgrown section of the meadow. Goats can cram a ridiculous amount of forage into their four stomachs. (Actually, to be precise, it’s four compartments.) Did you say ridiculous?   Pip is the jealous one....

A Chicken’s Sense of Smell – HenBlog – Monday, February 24, 2014

...for traits other than sense of smell; chickens are not the animal kingdom’s best sniffers. Still, chickens can and do use smell to help make sense, and make decisions, about their world. Chickens develop their sense of smell even before hatching. Chicks are able to smell from inside of their shells. In one experiment, eggs were rubbed with strawberry scent. When the chicks hatched, they preferred strawberry scented shavings and water. Adult chickens respond to scents, too. One researcher discovered that chickens respond with alertness when the feces of a prey animal (in this case, a tiger) was put into...

A Foul Fowl Poop – HenBlog – Sunday, April 21, 2013

This is Topaz. She is broody. Note the ruffled feathers and that maniacal look in her eye. Perhaps you think that this looks like a normal chicken? Here, compare Topaz to her sister, Beryl. In this photograph, taken last week, Beryl was not broody. Look at her kind, inquisitive and sweet expression. Beryl lays four eggs a week. Topaz sits in the nesting box, but doesn’t lay. She hoards the other hens’ eggs. Once a day she removes herself from the box in a chattering, huffed up rage. She goes outside. She leaves this. It is the largest pile of...

Bumblefoot – HenBlog – Tuesday, August 7, 2012

...tweezers, but didn’t find anything nasty inside. I squirted in some more antibiotic ointment and bandaged her once more. That bandage fell off two days later and upon inspection, the foot pad appeared healed. I let it be. A week later the foot seems healthy again. Compare it to the other foot. There’s nothing pretty about chicken feet, especially on older hen’s dirty, scaly, lumpy feet. But, having seen this foot ballooned up with infection, it looks darn good now. I’ve talked with others who have more experience than I with bumblefoot. Some chickens get recurring infections. Some, despite surgery,...

How Loud Are Hens? – HenBlog – Tuesday, June 26, 2012

...is a talker. She broadcasts that she’s stepped into the coop. She lets everyone knows that she’s going back outside. A half-hour before laying an egg she’ll increase the volume while stomping around the barn. Etheldred is another one that wants to be heard. This video is less than 30 seconds, but it’ll give you a good idea of the racket that a couple of loud hens can make. But neither of these two girls compare to my late and much missed New Hampshire Red hen, Marge. She and her twin sister, Petunia, always traveled side by side, but it...

Meet Mazie and LuLu – HenBlog – Tuesday, December 4, 2007

...were developed – Sussex, England. She has yet to find a best friend. But, not all chickens do. Buffy, at the bottom of the totem pole, is at the fringes of flock life. Snowball, is one of the top dogs (to mix metaphors), but she doesn’t care and goes about her life without interacting much with the other hens. It’s too early to see where LuLu will fit in. But, isn’t she simply stunning? Notice the creamy white legs (compare to the Wyandottes’ yellow shanks.) LuLu has just reached maturity. I can’t wait to see what her eggs look like....

The 80¢ Egg – HenBlog – Thursday, April 9, 2009

I know it was cold and windy and dreary yesterday, but was that cause enough for the hens to slack off? I mean, really, just one egg? From thirteen hens? Here it is. I don’t usually compare the cost of raising homegrown eggs to the supermarket commodity. I know that the ones I get are oh, so much better, and that the benefits of keeping chickens goes beyond the eggs that they produce. Still. One egg? On average, each hen consumes 1/4 pound of laying hen feed a day. Which comes to 6¢ per bird. Times by 13, and add...

Birthday Boys – HenBlog – Tuesday, April 26, 2011

...when something is right. I put a deposit down on two, yet to be born, goats. And this is what I got. These are my first goats, so I don’t have any other goats to compare them to. That said, these are the absolute best goats in the entire world. I have worked with many and varied animals, but I must say that goats are unique unto themselves. Yes, they fit in the four-legged furry farm animal category. But they are nothing like horses. Or donkeys. Or mules. Or cows. Or sheep. Goats have goat obstinacy and goat humor. Goat...

Egg Record Chart – HenBlog – Monday, January 2, 2012

...It’s also interesting to compare records from year to year. When did the production dip due to molting, age, weather or disease? Some people, especially those with only a handful of chickens, can identify eggs from individual hens, but I simply keep track of eggs from the old girls (almost none) and from the young Gems (lots!) I keep a chart on a magnetic bulletin board in my kitchen. I use the Taylor’s All-In-One Poultry Food EGG RECORD. It’s a sheet of ephemera that I purchased off of eBay. It was a piece of promotional advertising given away in 1936,...

Whose Eggs? – HenBlog – Wednesday, April 13, 2011

...providing the eggs for my seder, too. You should be able to adapt that spaghetti steamer. Make sure the water comes up to the bottom, but doesn't touch the eggs. Once the water starts boiling, cover, lower the heat, and start timing. A big pot of eggs will take a full 20 minutes to steam. Check to make sure that you don't run out of water. Add as necessary. Yes, shaking the eggs so the shells crackle does make it easy to peel! Happy Pesach. Terry Golson Hens don't like change, so switching to the HenCam coop was disruptive. But...

Sunshine in the Barnyard – HenBlog – Saturday, March 12, 2011

...Chick Days are next Saturday and I'm excited! Our hills are lush and green from the winter rains. Toby and his girls are spending the days eating salad (grass) and bugs and seeds and bathing in the dirt. Makes me happy. Hopefully your complete thaw isn't far away and the grass will be right behind. Keep posting the pictures as it's nice to see your critters all come out of the winter into the light:-) Tracy Wonderful photos of a long overdue thaw!! On another note- I tried steaming the eggs in a vegetable steaming basket and it worked GREAT!!...

How Many Hens? – HenBlog – Monday, July 30, 2012

...And now we're hitting the beginning of molting season (the poorest layers start molting now, the best layers more towards September.) I've already stated seeing feathers on the floor of the Gem's coop. Terry Golson Feed prices continue to go up and I expect a spike because of this year's drought in corn country. 50 pounds of laying hen pellets costs $17 to $18 a bag. My 12 Gems go through a bag every 2 weeks or so. Terry Golson It's in the "handling and storing eggs" FAQ. Dianne We have our first egg this morning...so excited! I have heard...

The Gems – HenBlog – Monday, June 27, 2011

...take care to pay equal attention to each of their 8 hens (all of them almost 4 years old). We also have 7 Ameraucana chicks and I think at least 3 are roosters but they are quite varied in color and feathering. Makes it harder to compare! These are straight-run chicks from a local breeder. I figure we'll just have to wait a little longer. All these chicks picked by the 8 and 10 yo grandsons with the usual promises of daily visits to care for them! Guess who does the work--but it's ok, I enjoy them. Sean Well done,...

Egg Holders – HenBlog – Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Tillie Lays an Egg gave me an excuse to buy more vintage chicken items than anyone should ever collect. Most of the items came from ebay. I’d never have been able to accumulate all of the board games seen in the bedroom tableau, or many of the other props used in the book, without that on-line marketplace. But, I also go to flea markets where I find things that I don’t even know I’m looking for. Last week was Brimfield, one of the biggest and best flea markets in the country. It’s exhausting, but the miles that I walk up...

I Like Mules – The Vintage Hen – Monday, December 9, 2013

...his cause of living simply, out in nature. He has created a website and Facebook page. "Mule", his nickname, has been cited often for taking mules through cities. Very interesting. Fortunately, his mules seem okay. Website: 3Mules.com OR https://www.facebook.com/3Mules?fref=ts Michele b No experience here. Although I have always loved Donkeys. Thats a great photo! jean yes i have a mule story - an on-going mule story and i'll share - but later. my stray cat - the one who looked like a thug likes to help me type when he hears the keys rattle - and here he commes Michele...

More Snow. – HenBlog – Monday, February 16, 2015

...husband now clears the driveway in an hour and a bit, where before it took two of us shoveling eight hours. He gets very cold (Reynaud's Syndrome) so even with those wonderful hand warmers it's a worry if he's out too long. Six more inches tomorrow on top of the weekend's twenty inches! My husband is still enjoying it. John Putnam I love my John Deere snow blower. I don't know how I would cope with all this snow without it. FYI, the January Consumer Reports lists four Troy-Bilt snow blowers as Best Buys, and Troy-Bilt and Toro blowers have...

Treats for Hens – HenBlog – Thursday, June 7, 2012

...mean that you can’t spoil your hens. For chickens like mine that spend the good part of their days in runs, the best thing that you can do is to provide greens. You can simply put weeds and things in their compost pile (I have mine in the run.) Or, to make the greens last and keep them up off of the ground, use a bird suet feeder. This one is nailed to the roost in the Little Barn. I also have a larger one, than hangs from a chain. It’s big enough to put apple halves and cucumbers in....

Dog Bliss – HenBlog – Thursday, April 21, 2016

...silently. All small prices to pay to be able to watch the whole miracle from just a few feet away. I'm with Scooter: it's great to b alive. jan At last the SUN is shining, the Girls are out on the fresh spring grass, wonderful. They say we have a few dry days but will pay for it with frosty nights, so no planting out yet. Are you still getting frosts at night? Terry Golson There's always a danger of frost until June. Terry Golson Two Jack Russells = three times the fun :) Diana Folsom I just saw your...

Pumpkin Season – The Vintage Hen – Thursday, October 16, 2014

Jonathan It must have been a good year for pumpkin crops The prices seem to be half of what they were last year. I have paid less then 5 dollars a pumpkin this year compared to the 10 dollars a pumpkin last years... Jonathan I live like 30 miles west of Albany, NY Diana Plainville CT The pic of the boys on the stumps is priceless....should be entered in a contest and money could be donated to a pet rescue foundation. It's such a perfect picture. Suzanne At the Pierce College farm last fall, I noticed a wagon full of...

Farm Chic at Brimfield – The Vintage Hen – Thursday, May 15, 2014

...hear many horror stories from the wife about my sudden demise if I don't stop it. I have some of my Grandfather's tools, many saws that I was going to paint on, but it got to be a fever to collect by brand, oil cans, knives, razors, and railroad stuff and stuff and stuff and............ Given the prices in your neck of the woods, I probably wouldn't be buying much, but looking would be a dream come true! I love some of the quaint antique places up through the northeast, but they are proud of much of their wares. For...

Truly Free-Range – The Vintage Hen – Tuesday, September 24, 2013

...with my friends and family. My sister asked me yesterday if I looked at eggs differently now (yes!) and she said that because of my experience, she does, too. I've heard the same from others who have met the girls and gone home with eggs. Being able to share that blessing is an unexpected bonus of backyard chickens. Linda Why do brown eggs cost more than white eggs? Also I have never seen any blue eggs at the grocery store. We have a local Farmers Market where the prices are off the map. A dozen eggs at that market is...

I'm Going to Be on MARTHA! – HenBlog – Saturday, March 20, 2010

Laura (I am a friend of Kara's) saw your name on a facebook comment and popped over to check out the chicks! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! I will keep checking so I don't miss you on Martha! Terry Golson For those who don't know - Kara LaReau was my brilliant editor for Tillie Lays an Egg. Check her out at Bluebird Works. http://www.bluebirdworks.com/ Jen WOW! So exciting...... can't wait to see the show and to hear about your adventure! Linda Symons Terry Congratulations again! You are certainly having a GREAT 2010. Enjoy it and best wishes. Cindy What wonderful news! The Accolades for...

Agatha, Painted – HenBlog – Thursday, February 16, 2012

Cresca Albright That's great! JoAnn Absolutely adorable!!!! Maggie Spruill A lovely thought.Jennifer. Wow! Agatha will be soooo excited! Donna Gorgeous! I am jealous and may have to have Jennifer paint one of my birds! Denise She does a very nice job. With the prices though, I think I will have to frame one of my own photos. Agatha will soon be so famous, I hope she doesn't let it go to her head:-) Sara Adorable! And that Candy is such a diva! Terry Golson Denise, nothing goes to Agatha's head -or, at least when there, it doesn't stay :) Joyce...

Where’s The Pumpkin Patch? – HenBlog – Tuesday, September 27, 2011

...mush. The poorest year in a decade or more. But I ate one of the Kabocha squashes over the weekend, and it had delightful flavor. I've read that New England will be a lot wetter from here on out, so I guess we'll have to rethink our planting strategies. kristen our pumpkins did horrable this year i dont even think that there haves even been an a little green pumpkin... Denise Too bad about the pumpkins....awesome for the chickens!! Donna Gee..I wonder if pumpkin prices along with everything else will go up? Kimberly Sorich What a beautiful life you have....

Winter Eggs – HenBlog – Monday, February 21, 2011

...and could have kicked myself! Winter eggs! It's a great story! goatgirl Yeah, I'm going to say "Love the egg holder" too. I'll be keeping a watch for one like it. I am also looking for an egg scale but don't want to pay $50 for it:) Carmie of the Single Nester All of those gorgeous eggs! Could use some for more of your delicious recipes. So glad you read my review of your book. I do love it and I think that is sad you don't get anything from those outrageous prices on Amazon. Question - how did you...

Fun Holiday Shopping – HenBlog – Friday, November 19, 2010

Ken The whole shopping thing drives me nuts, yes I'm a man but still!!! Here is what I don't get, so the stores all open at 3 or 4 am the day after Thanksgiving. They all have lost leaders at "rock bottom" prices and usually a handfull at each store to draw you in. But what doesn't make "cents" to me with this early opening stuff (now stores are opening on Thanksgiving too) is if I have budgeted $500 for shopping for the holidays does it matter if I spend it at 4 a.m or 4 p.m.? No, when it's...

Eggs From Old Hens – HenBlog – Tuesday, October 19, 2010

...after they have passed the spring months of their second year. During spring and early summer dressed hens command good prices." This is why the dual-purpose breeds were so important. Mr. Biggle goes on to point out that hens in their second year go into an unproductive broody period. This was before high-producing, egg-laying strains were developed (these have broodiness bred out.) What breeds do you have (you're not counting the pet silkies, are you?) Lucy Suitor Holt I agree. It's best to understand the process that causes that weirdness and let the puppies have the strange ones as treats....

Adorable Egg Molds – HenBlog – Friday, February 17, 2012

...article and the picture of you with Agatha Agate! There is an article, THE BASICS OF BEHAVIOR, which is an interview with the person whose web site introduced me to yours. She has Chickam2008 on Ustream.com and jackshenhouse.com Ken Who know? Ken s/b knew. ;-) Viki in Grass Valley CA I'm suprised you didn't steam your eggs. I'm a steamming convert sence your blog about it! Terry Golson I use both methods. The boiling method allows me to turn off the stove and leave the room to do something else. The steaming method allows me to cook fresher eggs and...

This & That – HenBlog – Sunday, March 18, 2012

...very interesting to hear your questions. I know that some of you are filling Easter baskets. Please consider adding Tillie Lays An Egg to the Easter bunny’s gifts. It lasts longer than chocolate! There are still a few opening for the March 31 Chicken Keeping Workshop here at Little Pond Farm. I’d love to meet you! Remember my post about the best way to hard-cook eggs and how steaming is THE way if you are using very fresh eggs? I use a pot and a steamer basket, but check out how cute this is! Looks just like Tillie, doesn’t she?...

Asparagus Season – HenBlog – Thursday, May 5, 2011

...porches, don’t grow asparagus. When I had my raised bed vegetable garden built, the center space was reserved for asparagus. It was a sign of commitment to this place. Besides, I love asparagus, which, like corn, tastes best if there are only minutes between harvesting and cooking. (This is true. If you only buy asparagus from Peru at the supermarket, you’ll be blown away by the difference of fresh and local, and even more so if it’s been picked steps from your back door.) After a few years I was harvesting enough asparagus to serve it with spring dinners. I...

Keeping the Boys Happy – HenBlog – Friday, March 1, 2013

...and the TWITTER updates about activity that is going on at Little Pond Farm! Carrie Lee McCleary I love my chicks already, I have 2 redheads, a blond and a brunet! No names yet and they seem to all get along, im one proud chicken mom! Its so cool to watch on cam cause you really get a birds eye view. It made me more confident to go forward. nancy Cute! Have you ever thought about building the boys a little play/climbing structure? Wire spools or pallets, etc? Give them something to burn off some steam :) Have you thought...

Seeded No Knead Bread – HenBlog – Sunday, October 13, 2013

Jean R One of my favorite bread recipes. It really is easy once you get used to the high hydration ratio. And its yummy. I will try the King Arthur harvest mix. That looks even better. Wish home ovens had a steam injection feature. Suzanne Ah, the coziness of a warm kitchen! I'd never even heard of a no-knead bread. Going to have to try that recipe! Bobbie Oh Terry, I can just imagine the smell in your kitchen! Bread and apple pie.... yummy! Melissa Talk about "picture perfect." I'll get the butter, Terry. :-) Deanne G I'll be making...

Steaming Trees – The Vintage Hen – Thursday, January 16, 2014

After weeks of bitter cold temperatures, we had a January thaw. Then it rained. Then it froze overnight. Early in the morning, I was sitting at my desk, drinking coffee and writing, and looking out the window. I saw shadowy movements. I saw strange, glistening fog. The sun rose and hit the icy trunks of the maples in the front yard, and it looked like the trees were steaming. This lasted for only a half-hour, and then the conditions changed yet again. Keep your eyes open. Remarkable moments are all around us.  ...

Tools for the Coop – HenBlog – Thursday, January 30, 2014

...it to one of the tines. I had one fall from it's wedged spot on the top fall on the heating element and when the washer went into dry cycle it started to smolder. I was home, don't know if anything more serious would have happened had I started it and left. Sue I couldn't do without my shop vac. I feel like it sucks up all the dust and cobwebs and bugs that the broom may leave behind. Fiona I have just found your blog and am enjoying it immensely. The steaming trees made me think of cold western...

Winter Dust Baths – HenBlog – Thursday, March 3, 2011

Jude M Very good idea. They look so happy. We covered part of our run. It shades the sun in the summer and keepssnow out in the winter. They have bathed a large hole that I fill up once a week with peat moss. What we do to keep happy chickens. I would not have it any other way. What joy they give us and eggs too!!! Nice eggs that we now all steam to perfection! David Malcolm Shein Can you tell me what does the ash component to the "spa" mix do? I know the diatomaceous earth will kill...

Hard Boiled Egg Myths – HenBlog – Tuesday, March 1, 2011

...fresh eggs they don't form strings at all. Terry Golson I've rewritten it to make it clearer. Sorry I was vague at first! Terry Golson Terry- I was so skeptical of your comment, so I just steamed two eggs and it worked perfectly! I'm amazed. If you can remember where you heard this, let me know. Anyone else ever hear of this? I'm going to have another post tomorrow with more on the egg steaming! Terry Golson Hi Amy- I said that pricking the egg was a myth, not adding something:) But, I have done both vinegar and baking soda...

Beauty All Around – The Vintage Hen – Friday, October 18, 2013

...be a good year for brilliant colors! Suzanne That second photo is so gorgeous! Is that a sugar maple? Carolyn Terry, I know just what you mean. The world just seems to glow. We're getting some color here in central North Carolina but it doesn't begin to compare to New England. One more thing I miss. jean chitwood isn't that strange. every year we here in s.w. wisconsin have lovely fall colors. bright with clear air, sometimes even sunshiny - it never lasts too long, but, what with the hills to view the trees against, they're really a picture. this...

Spring IS Here – The Vintage Hen – Thursday, April 16, 2015

Eileen April 15th ... not bad given that only a week or 10 days ago you were still getting snow. Planting-wise, how does this compare to last year? Terry Golson If I could get the rest of my spring crop in right now, I'd be on schedule. But I have a lot of garden cleanup to do, so I'm just going to focus on my warm weather crops which go in in June. Connie Moreau Yeah!!! Spring is here too, Crabby Patty our 4 year old buff is BROODY again! I had hopes we would just get eggs from her...

Snowbound Chores – The Vintage Hen – Tuesday, February 10, 2015

...8 months a time. ( distant memories ). Be safe keep warm :) Eileen I'm keeping a close eye on the weather in MA and am checking the hencam daily to check on those piles and piles of snow! Living in the Green Bay, WI area we also pride ourselves on our stoic resilience and winter-hearty attitude, but this year has been a piece of cake compared to you! Last year we had a dandy of a winter with record breaking snowfall, but you had a lot of snow last year, too...how does it compare to this year's massive volume?...

2014 Egg Tally – HenBlog – Friday, January 2, 2015

...to 5 eggs a day with a couple 3 egg days in there. I love the various shell colors and chicken breeds. Freshly gathered eggs are the best! :) Terry Golson A good layer mix. MicheleB My slw is very docile and friendly. However my 2 glw are not, they are more feisty. However they are my best layers next to my NHR. (Who only molted For 3 weeks and has gone right back to laying. ) One is a bit of a bully. But my NHR keeps her in line. Jane from Hawaii I am afraid I lost track...

Old Hen, Young Hen – HenBlog – Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Old hen. Buffy is six. She hasn’t laid an egg for years. Young hen. Amber is a Buff Orpington, Svelte compared to Buffy. She’s yet to lay an egg. Soon. Old feet. Edwina’s feet are gnarly, scaly, and thick. The toes are too long. But at seven she’s still standing. Young feet. Garnet’s legs are lean and smooth. Old bottom. Philomena laid an egg today. Her energy goes into making eggs, not feathers. Young bottom. Topaz has a pullet’s fluffy butt. Old face. Edwina’s comb is thick and her wattles are pendulous and uneven. She’s seen weather, and pecking orders...

The Late Summer Garden – HenBlog – Thursday, August 15, 2013

...better when picked ripe from a tree! Terry Golson Forty trees! I hope that you had an auger on a tractor for that task. You'll love the Joe Pye. The variety I planted gets 6 foot high. Ken G. I put our recipe for pickled pears up on www.gradygroove.com, along with pictures of the fruit. Gold start to anyone who can identify the specific variety. They're only about the size of a large duck egg. (and it's not just any place on the internet that I could compare something to a duck egg and feel comfortable that people wouldn't blink)....

The Chicks Venture Forth – HenBlog – Monday, April 29, 2013

...seeing your little dominique now at a month old. I had to get my photos out and compare! Such a sweet reminder of how she looked back then. I think this is such a lovely age in the chicks life. Terry Golson My Dominiques are the smallest of the lot. Shy but not flighty. An interesting breed! caitlinvb I love watching chicks venture forth for the first time! It always amazes me when they go from 'timid' to 'chickeny'. love it! Kris It's really fun watching the babies on the hencam today. Some napping in the sun, some trying out...

Good Morning – HenBlog – Monday, February 25, 2013

...of her eggs to hatch also... te funniest thing is happening right now as i type my neighbors kids are in thier yard and one of my speckled sussex is begging them for food, last year with my permission they would throw vegtable scraps over the fence and the bird would gobble them down, obviousley she remembers this. Terry Golson Hens ALWAYS remember where food comes from :) Carol Caldwell What beauty you share with us, quite breath taking! We have had a dusting of snow in England but nothing to compare with your snow, not that we want it...

Poultry Banner Giveaway! – HenBlog – Wednesday, October 24, 2012

...I liked the barnyard prayer flag as well as the garden hearts one, but the chicken flag is the best as I only have chickens. Sandra I love the chicken banner. It looks like my flock. Kim I absolutely love the Barnyard Birds 9 large prayer flags! Very cute Debbie What nice things Miranda has. My favorite is the Barnyard Birds 9 large. Angela Barnyard Birds, 9 large, hands down. But where is the turkey???? Melissa I like the animal prayer flags too -- with rabbits and goats! Kathryn Pinkney I liked the bees for their interesting graphic discussion...and then...

What Do You Want at HenCam? – HenBlog – Tuesday, January 10, 2012

...advice is always good but other than that its realy the best blog i have ever read i love everything about it:) Sharon O. I would love a tutorial on blowing eggs--Tools you use and rinsing techniques and how to sterilize/treat the insides etc. I am looking forward to your updated website. La'Nelle Love your site as it is! I only keep up with three blogs and yours is one. It's always nice to know, that of the three, you are the most diligent about posting something every day, so I always read yours first. I often make notes on...

Rose Tomato – HenBlog – Friday, August 3, 2012

...Later this month, we're going to have more than we can eat. However, neither of them compare to my tomato plants! I love the smell too, but every morning I go out to check on my garden, I'm almost afraid, seeing how many green tomatoes are out there! My plants are just going crazy! They are pulling the ages over and I can barely walk between them! A *very* good year for tomatoes!! Gay dukes=cukes (darn you auto-correct!) Kathleen Everything! Tomatoes,zucchini, summer squash, chard, pickles, cucumbers, beans, eggplant, onions, carrots, lettuce, peppers, melons, melons and more melons. Eight varieties of...

Egg Chart To Download – The Vintage Hen – Thursday, January 3, 2013

...whom and the weather, some pictures and little pieces of info that will help me next year, like shearing day. Candy is missed. Suzanne Thanks! No, I'm not raising hens yet, but I'm looking forward to doing so in a couple of years if all goes well. Free-range chickens are so practical: chickens convert protein that we don't find appetizing- insects and so forth- into versatile eggs! (Maybe I've been reading too much Marvin Harris...) Myra What a neat idea! I was using a calendar last year, but flipping through it to add up eggs and compare was a hassle....