One of the great things about having chickens is that no allotment or garden produce ever gets wasted. The broccoli we tried to grow on our garden veg plot hasn’t worked. The cage to keep out the butterflies, followed by caterpillars, isn’t tall enough.
The broccoli wasn’t able to produce heads. We have had some lovely broccoli from the allotment so we decided to take a hit on this and pulled up some stalks for the girls.
By the end of the day I expect to remove just the stems.
Moulting seems to have started early this year. After their recent broody spell both Ebony and Smoke are moulting and I am picking up little piles of feathers from the chicken shed each morning plus a few from the run. I don’t anticipate these two girls starting to lay again for a while.
Flame was laying every other day until four days ago. For the last few days Flame has been sitting in the nest box for a while but not laying. I think she may have come to the end of her season but doesn’t seem to realise it yet or maybe she is just taking a break.
Sugar was only out of lay for two weeks including her broody spell and a one week break after she came out of it. It always amazes me how quickly Sugar starts laying again. She started laying again two days ago.
Other than Sugar we have Salmon, Spangle and Shadow laying. Shadow also took a break for a week which she does from time to time and has laid twice since then. Spangle is an erratic layer and only lays on average once a week. Salmon has hit her stride and has been laying every other day for three weeks now. This is really good for her.
The girls are just about keeping us in enough eggs for now. It is great to be between broodies at the moment but I know it will be Sugar who will go broody again when she has laid her quota of eggs.
I am used to the routine now though and will just make the most of this time between broodies.
Edit :
Flame has just laid, later this afternoon, after her four day break so it looks like she hasn’t finished after all which is good news.
I wrote this post too soon. The next day Smoke laid again which is three weeks from when she went broody. Looks like we have our two best layers back for now.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
They do love greens – really good use of unsuccessful produce. Looking good.
I like to give them greens every day so it’s great to have produce to give them which saves buying greens. This sort of produce keeps them occupied for longer too.
Your girls get a good selection of food, like for us, is so good, and for them.
I love giving them things like this which are good for them but which they also really enjoy.