Page 74 - Summer2008

Opening a shell or two into my water ker brew for the feed and scraps from your kitchen. Count on

your home added nutrition. (See the article “Who Needs giving your girls attention at least twice a day.
Soda Pop with These Bodacious Beverages” The girls need to be let out in the morning and
and heart to from the Spring 2008 Wise Traditions issue on then put in for the night so they don’t get eaten by
animals—be lacto-fermented beverages for more details.) predators. Don’t forget, dusk is when predators
Another waste-saving benet of chickens is are most active. A little alarm clock rings each

they dogs, their appetite for your kitchen scraps. What better evening to remind me when to bring in my girls
cats or way to use your carrot shavings, cabbage cores, since it is a busy part of the day in my house.
egg-laying meat and sh leftovers and over-mature veggies Watching our chickens maneuver and

chickens— from your garden (i.e. cantaloupes, cucumbers contort their feathered  gures in funny ways
and zucchini ) than to put them back into your when dusting themselves has become a favorite
creates meals via the eggs produced by your pastured pastime. Besides being fun to watch, name, and
opportunities chickens? Some of the most gorgeous orange chase around, chickens make amusing noises.
for invaluable yolks come from “zucchini-fed” chickens. Be- Our pack leader has this crazy “bakawwww” she
ware: feeding onions and garlic may make your makes every time we approach, as though she is
life lessons. eggs taste a little “funny!” introducing our presence. Overall, the girls are
pretty quiet, which is good news for those of you
REASON #3: who have close neighbors. Roosters make most of
IT’S FUN AND FAIRLY EASY the noise, but they do not have to reside in your
I say “fairly” easy because everything is rela- ock unless you want fertilized eggs and be able

tive. For me, the convenience of having eggs at to raise your own little “peeps.”
home far outweighs the time driving to the four

corners of my home state to nd the best eggs REASON #4: IT’S GOOD FOR THE KIDS
from chickens raised with the highest standards. Opening your home and heart to animals—be
Or, heaven forbid, to be without eggs because of they dogs, cats or egg-laying chickens—creates
a high demand or low production from the local opportunities for invaluable life lessons. Not only
dairy farm. do they learn about daily responsibilities needed
There is some work involved. After the to keep these critters kicking, but children will
initial set up of the fenced-in area, coop and all also build a healthy respect and compassion for
your feeding and watering supplies, daily main- nature’s creatures and the natural cycle of life.
tenance is required. Chickens need fresh water, They make us stop and realize that loving others
fresh air, grit (which is stored in their gizzards to unconditionally is easy and more fun when done
help grind up food) and plenty of food—chicken with energy! As so eloquently said by Blair, my

FREEZING EGGS FOR THE WINTER

Freezing eggs when your chickens are laying the most will keep up your supply during the winter when the girls slow
down their production. Hens molt during this time and their resources are reserved for producing more feathers rather
than eggs. Less light during the winter months also influences production, which is why some chicken-raisers use artificial
light during to keep up production. However, if left to their own devices, egg production will reduce.
Eggs don’t freeze well in their shell, as the expansion inside causes them to crack. But eggs outside the shell are easily
frozen for later use and will stay fresh in the freezer for up to nine months. To freeze the whole egg, break about five eggs
(approximately 1 cup) into a bowl and pierce the yolks and stir slowly to mix. Beating too fast may create foam and add air
bubbles which will dry out the eggs in the freezer. Also, adding a touch of salt or sugar to the mix will help keep egg yolks
closer to their natural consistency. For every two eggs add about 1/8 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of sugar, depending
on what you plan to use them for after they are thawed. Either freeze a group of eggs in a glass container with no more
than ½ inch head space (be sure to make a note on the outside of how many there are and if there is salt or sugar) or you
can pour the stirred eggs into ice cube trays and once frozen store in bags in the freezer.
Egg yolks and whites can be frozen separately. Pierce about six or seven yolks and stir in either ¼ teaspoon salt or 1
teaspoon sugar and freeze. For the whites, just pour them into your container and seal (again leaving no more than ½ inch
head space). Leave the frozen whites out at room temperature for half an hour and they will whip up just like fresh.
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72 Wise Traditions SUMMER 2008