Wednesday, December 14, 2011

A New Approach

It's funny how when you get the one thing you thought you really wanted, you quickly find out that what you really want is more of that one thing.  And so it goes with the first egg.  Now that the novelty is behind us, I'm ready for a whole skillet full of fresh backyard eggs.  Problem is, my poor Easter Egger is pulling all the weight.  You see, Easter Eggers are known more for the colored novelty of their eggs and not their production of them.  However, my girl is giving it her best shot.  I'm getting an egg every other day, or so.  Those other chickens (note their demoted status), who are known for their high production rates, are taking their sweet, sweet time figuring out exactly how the system works.  I feed you.  You feed me.  You don't feed me.  I eat you.  Such is the life of a farm chicken.  Good thing these girls have a patient, suburban mother.

To encourage the process along, I have increased their waking hours by use of a light in the coop.  In winter, when the days grow shorter, egg production decreases because chickens need a certain amount of daylight to produce an egg.  So, by artificially extending their day, I increase their laying potential.  I turn the light on at dusk and leave it on until I head for bed.  Then, I plug it back in first thing in the morning so that the day is stretched by about four hours.  My chores would be made easier by one of those cheap timers currently being sold with the outdoor Christmas lights and inflatable Santas.  Note to self, stop at Lowes.

Also, if you'll remember, I borrowed a few wooden eggs from my boys to leave in the coop as a subtle suggestion of where and what to lay.

I was complaining yesterday to my husband that those silly hens still haven't started to fulfill their end of the deal.  He came up with a rather ingenius suggestion of his own.  Forget subtly and the wooden eggs, he says.   He pointed out that all this positive reinforcement was getting me nowhere.  "The kind of reminder you need out there in the coop is a nice shiny stew pot."

Hmmm.  Has merit.

Get with it girls, and lay me an egg.  Or else.

1 comment:

  1. Ha ha ha ha! We named one of the chickens "Chicken Nugget" just to reminder her of her "roots" so to speak!

    Heather

    ReplyDelete

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