…sound pretty delicious. I’m not going to lie.
The chickens have officially been here for about two and a half months. Since it feels like years have passed (a day in quarantine time must count for about 3 months), we’re feeling the itch for our egger babies to start laying.
We’re guesstimating the bulk of the flock is about 12 weeks old. That means we should start seeing some breakfast in the next 4-6 weeks if we’re lucky. It’s about time they earn their keep, honestly. 😉
In the mean time, the coop has been getting some upgrades to help with stink-factor and easier feeding.
We change the wood shavings and straw bedding in the coop regularly, but have also given the interior a good wash with the hose. Sweeping, scrubbing and putting in new bedding keeps the whole operation looking nice and smelling decent. It minimizes the flies that snoop around and give us a chance to check for damage or signs of unwelcome guests.
As if the full turn-down service wasn’t enough, I also like to pluck a few bits from the mint and rosemary plants by the coop to drop into the egg boxes. There are many herbs that make a great snack and help to keep the flock healthy. Both the mint and rosemary smell amazing – and the ladies are thrilled, I’m sure, to find a nice treat when they go back in.
We also added hardwood playground chips to the run to refresh that area too. After some of the recent rain, the soggy ground smelled horrible. Great things can be said for what these birds are doing for the soil – but holy moly, that smell.
We found the tip for the hardwood chips on YouTube. Let me tell you – it’s pure magic. The very specific hardwood chips were super hard to find, but well worth the hunt. Aaron dropped them in the bottom of the run and the smell instantly disappeared.
All-in-all – these birds are living the life. I’m a bit jealous.