Surprise!

I am home sick today and while lying in bed I heard a disturbance in the hen yard. A cacophony of clucks and squawks. I peered out my bedroom window and realized that one of the chickens was in the coop hollering as though she could bring down the walls of Jericho all by herself.

Being that I feel like a steamy pile of poo, I sent the boyfriend out to see what all the commotion was about. I could hear him talking to the "ladies" and then he let out a little woop himself! I got out of bed and went to the back door as he walked back towards the house, a big smile on his face, holding two tiny, little brown eggs! A couple of the ladies had finally laid their first eggs!

They are small and when we cracked them open they had vibrant orange yolks. It isn't unusual for first time eggs to be yolk-less but these first tried were beautiful besides one being slightly cracked on the top.

The egg shells were nice and thick so it seems that they are getting enough calcium in their diet, at least up to this point. If you notice that your eggs are thin shelled add calcium to your hens' diet. You can get that from your local feed store usually in the form of oyster shell.

I wanted the boyfriend to taste farm fresh eggs unadulterated, so I made a simple egg drop soup with some canned chicken broth we have in the fridge. Boyfriend just had his wisdom teeth pulled so there is a lot of liquid sustenance going on for the next few days and egg drop soup would be a bit of a treat for him.

The eggs taste like eggs. Like a stronger version of egg. Its very rich in flavour. It is rare that you taste eggs that do, in fact, taste as fresh eggs should unless you are willing to wait in line at the local farmer's market first thing in the morning and pay 5 bucks a dozen.

Boyfriend sucked it all down and was happy. The rest of the chickens shouldn't be far behind in their laying and I am excited to see the eggs the Ameracaunas lay. Those are the ones that are called Easter Eggs. Usually a blue, green or even pink colour!

I already have a few egg cartons provided by friends and neighbors. I am bartering with my local coffee pusher for coffee in exchange for eggs. If my calculations are spot on I should have about fifty-six eggs a week. Four and a half dozen or so a week, which is more than I will ever be able to eat so I will share and sell and barter and eat. But aren't they lovely eggs?