Posted on 01/02/2015 6:13:58 AM PST by C19fan
I have 6 hens and can tell you first hand. Their eggs are far better than store bought!
Actually I was talking about Texas.
Only if you want fertilized eggs.
Our experience is with hatchery birds bred to lay eggs. We buy the chicks in the spring from the feed and seed store. Pullets start laying about 5-6 months later. They lay dependably through that first winter, the next spring and summer then slow down the second fall. They molt (lose their feathers) and usually take that winter off from laying, then start up laying again the following spring. That year they lay slightly less eggs but are still productive. Then each fall they molt and take the winter off, each spring resuming laying with again decreased production. We have five hens who lay between one to five eggs a day. We have more eggs than we can eat so we give them to family, friends and neighbors. They usually last for 3-4 years and then quit laying altogether. Then we butcher them to eat and buy new chicks in the spring to start the whole process over again.
Conflicted? Really? Don't make too much of this article. There are far more important things in life to worry about than thinking your chickens need to live in fancy digs.
Inhumane conditions? Chickens are not human.
I built our second coop, 10' by 20', with a steel roof, vinyl siding to match our house, with a large pen and a nice duck pond. Oh, by the way, it is covered, from our bedroom, by 12 gauge, and it has motion-detection lights.
Our duck eggs are very popular and our chickens have not been laying well since their molt. We will be adding another 12 pullets (Black Copper Marans) this next spring. Lost several to coon this past summer. My 22 is set up for night fighting, so the coon population may be taking a hit this next spring.
We keep our birds locked inside at night. Only out during the daytime. We wouldn't consider selling to Californicatia!
The Feds shut down the Drakes Bay oyster farm. They are just as bad as Cali.
Yeah but the Calif coast watch and state biologists had allot to do with it.
Eggs are now thru the roof in price. $5.29 for 18 eggs at Costco. They used to be about $2.39 or so.
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