It’s a good thing I’m an early riser. It may still be a bit nippy first thing in the morning, but spring has arrived, and our hens know it.
Gone are the days when the sun — and the chickens — rose at 7, or 6:45, or 6:30. Even before I reached the coop at 6:15 this morning, I could hear Nellie and Hope, our Rhode Island Reds, bouncing around inside, desperate to get out into the pen, and breakfast.
By the time “the girls” spotted my approach, they were pecking at the east-side window of the henhouse in a frantic bid for freedom.
And it isn’t just the earlier start to the day that marks the change of seasons. Egg production is up, thanks to more hours of daylight. By the 19th of this month, we already had collected more eggs in April than during the entire month of March.
The hens are getting up earlier, working harder and staying up later than they have in months. They are livelier and more active than they have been for some time; comfortable, content. And, much to their delight, they’re getting more snacks too.
There were no afternoon treats to be had during the winter, because the chickens went to bed so early. Now, it’s mealworms late in the morning and lettuce (or other greens) in the afternoon. Sometimes the lettuce even comes with a side order of plain yogurt, a favorite that drives the hens into a feeding frenzy.
At this time of year, life is good on Planet Chicken, even if dawn breaks a bit earlier every day.
Gone are the days when the sun — and the chickens — rose at 7, or 6:45, or 6:30. Even before I reached the coop at 6:15 this morning, I could hear Nellie and Hope, our Rhode Island Reds, bouncing around inside, desperate to get out into the pen, and breakfast.
By the time “the girls” spotted my approach, they were pecking at the east-side window of the henhouse in a frantic bid for freedom.
And it isn’t just the earlier start to the day that marks the change of seasons. Egg production is up, thanks to more hours of daylight. By the 19th of this month, we already had collected more eggs in April than during the entire month of March.
The hens are getting up earlier, working harder and staying up later than they have in months. They are livelier and more active than they have been for some time; comfortable, content. And, much to their delight, they’re getting more snacks too.
There were no afternoon treats to be had during the winter, because the chickens went to bed so early. Now, it’s mealworms late in the morning and lettuce (or other greens) in the afternoon. Sometimes the lettuce even comes with a side order of plain yogurt, a favorite that drives the hens into a feeding frenzy.
At this time of year, life is good on Planet Chicken, even if dawn breaks a bit earlier every day.
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