This pumpkin has cheered up the front door since mid-October.
But it’s now a frozen mass of orange, and the first day above freezing it will turn into a rotten mess. So, it’s time to feed it to the girls!
First I had to get it into a wheelbarrow. I think it weighs about fifty pounds, but it felt like more than that, and is was too big to get my arms around. I’m glad no one videoed me maneuvering it into the wheelbarrow. Next, I took my Japanese pruning saw to it. Philomena spied it from across the lawn and came running to check things out.
I put half into the Gem’s yard. I wasn’t surprised that the Speckled Sussex were the first over. They’re curious birds and not at all shy about new things.
The old girls have seen many pumpkins, but none this big! They scarf down the seeds first.
But the animal who likes pumpkin the most is Candy. You’ll see her, over the next few days, gnawing on the rind.
The egg yolks, in the next week, will be as bright orange as the pumpkin. There will be some cheerful-looking breakfasts here.
My chickens don’t like pumpkin. I bought them 2 this fall and they just rotted in the barnyard.
Did you cut it open? To each their own. My hens don’t like raisins, but I know other flocks who go crazy for them.
Ooh, sounds pretty :). Can you post a picture of a cracked pumpkin-fed egg?
I enjoy watching anyone eat pumpkin seeds who didn’t expect them to be collected, rinsed, seasoned, and baked first. Sometimes the kids’ pumpkins “accidentally” fall off the deck rail to where the chickens can get to them before the kids can ask for pumpkin seeds. Oh well. ;)
Stevie @ ruffledfeathersandspilledmilk.com
Some of us don’t grow eating pumpkins on purpose:)
Stevie you made me lol on the “accidentally” part.
Ken-Stevie’s blog is very, very funny. Go see.
Our girls won’t touch pumpkins any way they are served; on purpose or accident…whole or cut up…seeded or gutted. Will be trying raisins and whole peanuts this weekend. They go crazy over BOSS.
Love the idea of pumpkin coloured eggs.
Our girls love pumpkins too. We have a few still kicking around thanks to my parents’ neighbor who is a farmer and plants 10 acres of pumpkins. We had a bumper crop of acorn and butternut squash that we are still enjoying too and the girls just love when they get the scraps from those.
Cool! My kids and I were wondering what the big orange thing was! LOL…We have a pumpkin we are now gonna feed our ladies. Didnt even think to put a pumpkin in there with them..as we are new to chicken keeping. I can see our bunny will enjoy it to..I will have to put her some in her cage. FYI- we love Candy!