Foraging Eggs From My Flock, Chicken and Eggs - #foraging

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Foraging Eggs From My Flock, Chicken and Eggs - #foraging
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<p>Foraging for Eggs on my Hobby Farm.</p>
<p>At any given time I keep 20-50 laying hens on our 2 acre farm. &nbsp;The chickens free range and live a natural life, yet, with all the benefits of domestic animals. &nbsp;They have constant feed and water, medical services, 2 coops, treats and attention. &nbsp;In response they provide beautiful eggs. &nbsp;I wish I could say they all get laid neatly in the coop, but some days are like Easter, complete with a near daily Egg Hunt. &nbsp;I call this foraging for eggs.<br>
<br>
<img src="https://s25.postimg.org/kr5krw9tb/20150711_162847_EFFECTS.jpg" width="1280" height="720"/><em>In the above picture some 1-year-old pullets free ranging in the green grass. &nbsp;The chickens also love to forage for food.</em></p>
<p>I breed a couple of show breeds, but my real passion is creating project birds that are breed specifically to be excellent layers of beautiful eggs with nice size and colors.<br>
</p>
<p>A few pictures of some of my egg shots.<br>
</p>
<p><img src="https://s25.postimg.org/97pd9ypf3/20151004_133759_(1).jpg" width="1280" height="720"/></p>
<p><em>A fall day, eggs collected and deposited on the deck table before they are washed and brought inside.</em><br>
<br>
<img src="https://s25.postimg.org/erevnw5db/20160727_192444.jpg" width="1280" height="720"/></p>
<p><em>I have 5 shades of green in this picture although the differences in the shades did not come through well in the picture.</em></p>
<p><img src="https://s25.postimg.org/ljezp52jz/12291175_917325378334968_8597403367341523157_o.jpg" width="1280" height="720"/></p>
<p><em>Collected Eggs ready to be sold or incubated.</em></p>
<p><img src="https://s25.postimg.org/435wbqn5b/20160929_134843.jpg" width="1265" height="800"/></p>
<p><em>One more shot of one of my favorite eggs pictures</em></p>
<p>So once all the eggs have been gathered I have to decide if they will be consumed by our family, sold or incubated.<br>
</p>
<p>Consuming the eggs below<br>
<img src="https://s25.postimg.org/5sc6tz8rz/20150730_091215.jpg" width="1280" height="720"/></p>
<p><em>Little group of cousins enjoying eggs in my kitchen, they were excited they got to forage for the eggs first.<br>
</em></p>
<p>When eggs are not consumed they are either sold or hatched.</p>
<p><br></p>
<p><img src="https://s25.postimg.org/bl84ylorz/20150710_162156.jpg" width="1280" height="720"/></p>
<p><em>Eggs in the incubator ready for hatching. &nbsp;Chicken eggs incubate for 21 days, and are removed from the incubator and put in the hatcher on day 18.</em></p>
<p><br></p>
<p>After 18 days in the incubator the eggs are moved to a hatcher, where they will pip/peep and unzip. &nbsp;Chicken people words for "hatching".<br>
<img src="https://s25.postimg.org/kvpaz95tb/1432411249388.jpg" width="512" height="288"/></p>
<p>Hatching chicks, like all newborns, don't look quite done yet at hatching time.<br>
</p>
<p><img src="https://s25.postimg.org/bck7jj7ov/20150811_193433.jpg" width="908" height="800"/></p>
<p><em>Three freshly hatched Black Copper Marans, chicks.</em></p>
<p>Once the chicks are dry, we get cute little fluffy butts people are used to seeing.</p>
<p><img src="https://s25.postimg.org/nqg42gyb3/20150929_112304.jpg" width="1280" height="720"/></p>
<p><em>What comes first?</em></p>
<p><img src="https://s25.postimg.org/86n0o2lrj/chick_a_day.jpg" width="768" height="500"/></p>
<p><em>another cute chick picture</em></p>
<p>If I do not gather the eggs quickly enough, a hen may take it upon herself to sit on the eggs for 3 weeks and brood her own batch of chicks.<br>
</p>
<p><img src="https://s25.postimg.org/ilcxasc33/2015050895184850.jpg" width="640" height="480"/></p>
<p>This sneaky hen hid with her eggs in the corner of the coop, she hatched and raised a total of 7 chicks. &nbsp;One of the things I things I love about chickens if they are properly cared for they can be self sustaining.</p>
<p>Why do I forage for eggs? &nbsp;Food, selling and hatching eggs. &nbsp;The quality of farm fresh eggs is noticeably different than store eggs, in several ways. &nbsp;They have thicker shells, richer colors, better flavor and more nutrition. &nbsp;&nbsp;<br>
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<img src="https://s25.postimg.org/czgofodrj/egg_comparison1.jpg" width="360" height="284"/><br>
The pale yellow egg is store bought.</p>
<p>I feel good about eating my own eggs, because I know my chickens lead a happy normal life, rather than factory farm chickens. &nbsp;I know what the chickens have eaten and I know I am not contributing to an industry that disgusts me.<br>
<br>
A quick summary of the benefits of backyard chickens and foraging eggs:</p>
<ol>
  <li>Farm Fresh Eggs</li>
  <li>Chicken meat if desired</li>
  <li>Chick sales</li>
  <li>Chicken showing increases the value of your flock</li>
  <li>Even the pelts can be sold and used for fly fishing lures, and other decorative uses for feathers.&nbsp;</li>
  <li>They are beautiful, social creatures which are very interesting to watch.<br>
</li>
</ol>
<p>If you are interested in more posts about prepping, homesteading, foraging, clean food. &nbsp;Vote it up!<br>
</p>
<p>@whatsup</p>
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