New and Old Layers Cool Down - September 11, 2019 @goldenoakfarm
Barreds in the lap pool
It hit 87F today and I had a several ice cubes and ice trays still in the freezer. So I took some out to the birds. The new layers get the lap pool.
Australorps checking out the pool
They love the lap pool on hot days, with its ice cube to keep it cooled down.
I love the iridescence on black birds.
The old layers got some old greens and beet bits.
They get a big ice cube with bee balm, marigold, basil, borage, clover, cuke peels, and some other herbs frozen in.
I’d gone out to the birds for a reason. It occurred to me that the new layers hen seen running with an egg was probably not laying and would not have had an interest in the nestboxes. So how did she find the egg?
My husband had mentioned the nestbox most used had a hole in the floor in the back (they must be rebuilt next year). It dawned on me maybe the eggs were falling out. So I’d grabbed a cedar shingle and gone out to cover the hole. But I may have been too late, as I found the remains of an egg in the middle box. And of course no egg for Wednesday.
New plan: start feeding animal protein to this flock.
My rugosa rose hips and the volunteer hollyhock that grew in their bed.
I love the plumage and the iridescent sheen on your beautiful running free chickens.
I remember feeding my aunt's hens in those long ago days. No sign of poor chickens in tiny cages. People would have been outraged!