Halloween Fun

The grandkids came to stay all night. Abby captured Little Brown (who laid an egg!). The kids later helped carve the pumpkin.

Sally, Jess, Little Brown, and PuffBall went to the church 'Trunk or Treat' with us. Bishop Williams is so much fun. You had to stick your hand through the fencing to get the candy.

Steve weighed Thanksgiving. He's about 38#.

Tom liked to gather eggs while on vacation.
We bought a new tiller - the biggest they make - and Steve went to work prepping the garden for next year.

Sunday Afternoon

The kids and grandkids came up for Sunday dinner. The grandkids took a break from playing with the chickens and went to digging out the dirt hole. Reed found him a little friend. Reed had Emmy hold the toad while he went back to digging, which she did reluctantly. Soon the toad was dropped and Emmy was totally grossed-out when the toad peed on her hands. She refused to take the toad again when Reed tried to hand it to her.

4 Egg Day

The two NHReds are laying eggs like clockwork, one egg a day each at about 10am. Mandy brought the kids up to stay all night around 2pm and of course they had to go into the coop. I went in and found a white egg there. It was cold and I don't know who layed it or when. I've been out of it all day (here's some advice; don't eat a turkey leg that Steve drops off to you in a Quick Trip parking lot, that he got free at the car auction). Anyway the BardRock was acting crazy, as she has been for a few days (I told Steve I thought she would be laying any time) but they don't lay white eggs so I knew it wasn't her's. After a bit Steve caged her in the laying box just to see what she would do. Sure enough, in half an hour I checked on her and she had a cream colored egg. The white egg is probably from one of the Brown Leghorns. For here on out I'll probably be seeing 4-8 eggs a day.

Besides collecting eggs, the kids rode the 4-wheeler, played with chickens/turkey, and helped gather walnuts.

Double Yolk

The first dozen and a half of eggs have been eaten in a delicious farm fresh meal. The big egg from the

dozen shown in previous post was a double yolk. MMMmm, eggs fried in bacon grease - nothing but healthy eating here on the farm!!

The baby chicks have been moved out to the coop. The older chicks decided to explore the great outdoors today.

The walnuts I hulled 2 weeks ago are ready for me to crack the shells.

Its official, the first dozen eggs are laid! Farm fresh, free range, wholesome goodness! Now to eat them. These were laid by my two NH Reds, or as I like to call them, Sally and Jess.
Sally laid all the near row, and on the back row the three darker ones are Sally's and the lighter ones are Jess'. Jess had three other eggs but she laid them under the roost into poop before she got the method down of laying eggs in the nesting box. Now she is doing great, in fact her eggs are bigger overall and she lays much faster. Sally will spend forever sitting in the nesting box before she lays, but she does announce the fact with much more flair and loudness.
This morning when I went to check on the chicks and for eggs both Sally and Jess were in the same nesting box. What was that about?? I moved Jess to the box next door and she laid an egg in 2 minutes. Sally stayed in her box and laid an egg 40 minutes later. Go figure.
The BIG news everyone is talking about is the new temple that will be built in the Shoal Creek area. I always knew the northland was way more righteous than those south of the river :). The only downside to the temple being built here is there is no Russel Stover Outlet between me and the temple. Oh the sacrifices I make!

Eggs Are Here

Both NH Reds have now laid eggs, about 2 eggs for every 3 days, except one has now laid 3 days in a row. Now if only the rest will start laying.

My great niece and nephew came over to see the new chicks.

On Sunday everyone came over to watch conference, although what could top Saturday's announcement of a temple in the greater KC area? Abby loves it when I blow bubbles.