To wash or not to wash.........?

At this point, some of you may think I am a little crazy at times....or all the time, but hey, if some of us don't color outside of the lines we might not have anything to talk about!

I know, I know, eggs come from.....a chicken's back end. There is a high probability that there is some poop involved somewhere along the way. It seems that it the ONLY proper way to care for an egg is to wash it!!!

However, as I have told you before.....I love to read, and research, and question until I arrive at the answer that seems to make the most sense.....Plus, in the name of good homeschooling, everything must be a lesson!!! So, here is why I am comfortable NOT washing my fresh eggs from my happy, healthy, free range, organic, NON GMO, essential oil fed chickens:

• Chickens are laying eggs to hatch! They are designed to lay in a warm nest for 21 days!! So, my eggs are safe and sound on my counter (as long as they are not cracked).

• Chickens coat the eggs with a protective cover called bloom. Bloom is intended to keep bacteria out by sealing all of the pores on the egg. This is an evolutionary mechanism to ensure the safety of the potential chick.

• Once an egg is washed, the bloom protection is removed, and bacteria are free to cross though the shell.......Eeeewwww

• Washing eggs in cold water will push any bacteria, that may be on the surface, directly into the egg.

• Washing eggs in warm water will safely clean the egg, but will still remove the bloom, and allow any bacteria looming about, to enter the egg.

• Once washed the eggs MUST be refrigerated.

• P.S. Factory eggs are commonly washed in a bleach solution.......NO THANK YOU!!!!!

 I know all my chickens by name. We collect our eggs several times a day, and we even say, "Thank You!" We keep our nesting boxes clean, so our eggs are almost always clean. The occasionally dirty egg does happen. In which case we just lightly sand it clean!! 

 Go ahead and do a little research of your own. You might be surprised at what you find. Here are a couple of links to get you started:

http://www.mypetchicken.com/backyard-chickens/chicken-help/What-is-the-best-way-to-wash-and-store-my-eggs-H62.aspx

http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2014/09/11/336330502/why-the-u-s-chills-its-eggs-and-most-of-the-world-doesnt

Blessings to you.

Thanks for reading,

Island Momma

4:45 am........!!!!??!?!

Captain Lewis "Louie" Magellan of Lowell is our new, and first ever, Rooster. In less than 48 hours of being with us he has schooled us in the lifestyles of roosters, real quick! I love animals though, especially my chickens, and I am really hoping we can work together and find a mutual peace....

I have huge goals for this tiny parcel of land. I am going to tackle this barren tenth of an acre from a permaculture perspective. I am going to prove to myself that I can cultivate lots of nourishment right here in this tiny space. The chickens are part of the plan. Of course they give us beautiful eggs, but there is more to it than that. Chickens can be great garden helpers.

Last spring we lost one of our Austrolorps to a hawk. Here in our new house, we have already chased a hawk away. We have also had multiple Eagle sightings overhead. They would love a tasty chicken dinner. A friend offered some insight as to the importance of adding a Rooster to the flock. Captain Louie's job is to protect my ladies (well, technically I would say they are his ladies now, if you know what I mean). The hope is that he will keep watch and call out a warning when needed.

Here is the thing though, that I can't figure out......What is so dangerous about 4:45 am??? I know, I know, DUH, Roosters are loud, really loud!! 4:45 though buddy? So, out of desperation, compassion, and a distaste for failure..I googled it! How to quiet a Rooster. I know I don't need to capitalize the word Rooster, but a Rooster as loud and beautiful as Captain Lewis Magellan of Lowell, deserves the big R! Here is what I found, multiple sites offering the same advice.....A Rooster Collar!! What? Yup, you read that right, a Rooster collar.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iJkFJrVq87Y

It just so happens that we had some Velcro on hand! So, we are in the stages of testing this fantastic idea. If we can get the results we are looking for then everyone wins! The neighbors, Captain Louie, the chickens, and everyone in this house who wakes up at to the smallest sound......meaning me, the tired mom! If this works, Louie stays here, where he will not be dinner, he will hopefully be a daddy! He will carry out his days guarding his ladies and sharing his love. We will keep getting homegrown eggs, maybe some sweet little chicks, all the chicken poop we could ever want for our garden, bug control, free composting help, and so much more!!!! Stay tuned to find out what Captain Louie's fate will be. Maybe we can convince you to get a Rooster too......

Blessings to all.

Thanks for reading,

Island Momma

The First Chicken to Fly the Fence........

During our time living on a remote island, we acquired 3 Austrolorps, a beautiful, black, heritage breed of chicken. This breed, when happy and healthy, will have unbelievably beautiful black feathers with shimmery, emerald green visible in the sunlight. Unfortunately, before we made our move back to our hometown, we lost one of our ladies to a Hawk! So, we only had 2 ladies to load into lobster crates ( a fishing family's multi-purpose tool ), transport on the mailboat, load into our van, and travel down the coast with. Have you ever been on a boat ride with a chicken? Have you ever taken a 4 hour road trip with a chicken in your vehicle? You should, it would add a sense of adventure to your life, guaranteed!

Once we were a bit more settled in our new house, and we had a proper chicken habitat, our ladies were thrilled. New grass, new bugs, fresh salt air, a new coop, and a safety fence!!! Woohoo! So, when a friend phoned to see if we could house some more ladies, we were excited to add to our tiny flock. This time we opted for a small dog kennel to transport our 6 new beauties.

Enter 6 young, huge Rhode Island Reds! There was a brief window of slow, one at a time, introduction of the new ladies to our Austrolorps. A couple of days of caddy pecking to establish their hierarchy and now we have a happy flock of 8. These new girls have added more entertainment, eggs, poop, and mischief to our daily routine.......

Our ladies are free to roam, inside of the perimeter of our fence. We love them and want them to be happy, but safe. So, on the several occasions, since the Reds have joined us, that I have gone outside to find one wondering on the wrong side of the fence.....I go into chicken whisperer mode and scoop the rascally chicken up as quickly as I can. I have lost count of how many people have seen me, in my pajamas with messy hair and the whole bit, chasing chickens!

First chicken to fly the fence earned her name " Amelia Earhart". Well, she must have told her sisters how fun her adventure was, because it wasn't long before others were on the wrong side of the fence.....So, what to do? Say a prayer of thanks for the Internet! Google it! I found a YouTube video on how to clip their wings. This is a pain free approach to help keep them safe, inside the fence.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YfYcR8N8eAs

So, with the help of my gang of homeschoolers, I have clipped wings on more than one chicken. Until yesterday I had only opted to clip one wing on any offending chicken, and all had been well, but we found a repeat offender on the wrong side of the fence. So, I scooped her up, brought her in and clipped just a few feathers on the other wing.....Fingers crossed.

Next order of business: to Rooster or not to Rooster? That is the question?

Blessings to you.

Thanks for reading,

Island Momma