A Visit to my Chicken Coops
I've been enjoying fresh, organic eggs from my own chickens for many, many years. I began raising chickens after visiting a commercial egg-laying plant and being rather horrified by the cruel, inhumane conditions of the facility. I started raising chickens for the eggs, but I also like that they allow me to practice animal husbandry on a modest, manageable, and relatively inexpensive scale. Keeping and caring for chickens means I know exactly how they are housed, what they eat, and what goes into their delicious eggs. For more about my chickens, read my column, Life and Wisdom From Martha in the April issue of Martha Stewart Living.
1 Every afternoon at three o'clock, the chickens, roosters, and guinea fowl gather and wait for Phurba to come and feed them.
2 This is Phurba Sherpa, carrying the basket for gathering eggs.
3 The chickens are free to move about the fenced-in areas throughout the day. The fencing keeps predators out and the chickens in.
4 The top is also fenced, making the chicken yard quite secure.
5 Twice a day, early morning and late afternoon, Phurba feeds the birds cracked corn. They also eat plenty of vegetable and fruit matter.
6 He divides the cracked corn among rubberized feed bins in the yard.
7 I started raising chickens many years ago, after visiting a commercial egg-laying farm in Massachusetts. I was so disturbed by what I saw - the cruel, inhumane conditions of the facility - that I vowed to always have my own coop.
8 Since then, I've always had enough egg-laying hens to provide me and my family with fresh, nutritious, organic eggs on a year-round basis.
9 At my Bedford farm, there are four coops that house more than a hundred chickens - a mélange of types and breeds that are really interesting to look at and fascinating to study.
10 This colorful fellow is a Japanese Bantam Black Tailed Buff rooster and the hen next to him is a Blue Silkie Bantam, which lays white eggs.
11 Inside the coops, Phurba fills the hanging feeders with organic layer feed. It provides the hens with protein, which helps them lay strong and healthy eggs.
12 He also adds a scoop of crushed oyster shell, which provides egg-layers with the calcium they need to produce nice, hard-shelled eggs.
13 Plus a handful of poultry grit - Insoluble crushed granite, which is an effective product for aiding proper digestion. Since chickens don't have teeth, they need something to help them break their food down for digestion.
14 Like the chickens, the eggs, too, are varied in size and color.
15 Because the feed is carefully designed for maximum, healthy production all year long, they all have brilliant yellow yolks, thick whites, and hard shells.
16 If a hen is still in a nesting box, Phurba gently reaches below her to retrieve the eggs. Sometimes a hen will give a good peck, so it's a good idea to wear gloves.
17 I wonder if this Silver Laced Cochin had laid her egg yet? By the way, Phurba gives the coops a thorough cleaning every Friday and lays down all new wood shavings.
18 In addition to the chickens, there are also 12 guinea fowl, which make quite a bit of noise when they feel intimidated.
19 Native to Africa, guinea fowl are known for traveling in large, gregarious flocks. These 12 certainly stick together.
20 Chickens lay according to the amount of light available. Hens' ovaries are triggered by longer hours of natural daylight, so egg production increases during the warmer months.
21 What an amazing yield!
22 Phurba also rinses out the outdoor water dishes and refills them with clean water.
23 He does the same for the indoor galvanized waterers.
24 The cover goes on.
25 The waterer is placed on top of a heated metal water base to keep the water from freezing.
26 The pair of Pomeranian geese scream for Phurba not to forget them. These geese are very protective of the flock and they will charge and attack intruders. They have a mean peck.
27 Phurba had developed a bond with the geese - he feeds them, after all.
28 The flock enters the coops as it begins to grow dark. When all are inside, the doors are shut and securely latched until morning. One can't be too safe when there are hungry raccoons and coyotes around.
29 Phurba transports the eggs to the house.
30 GK sits at the kitchen door and watches all the farm activities.
31 Laura Acuna, my long-time housekeeper, cleans the eggs every day.
32 She starts by dry cleaning each egg, buffing off spots of chicken manure and wood shavings.
33 Occasionally, an egg will break in the nesting box and some of the yolk may get on other eggs. When this happens, Laura uses warm water to remove it.
34 A bowl of beautiful, fresh, organic eggs
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
Beautiful bowl of perfect eggs!
Posted by: Sherey | March 14th, 2013 at 12:14 am
Martha,
Gorgeous selection of eggs, you don't even need to dye them for Easter. What colors from your paint line, resemble the variety of eggs in the last photo? This has inspired the tone of my dream kitchen.
Best,
Posted by: Anthony CH | March 14th, 2013 at 1:15 am
This is a great blog. My son had chickens for a while, and I really enjoyed the fresh eggs. And, you can tell the difference in egg quality.
I asked the question, once, about chickens being mixed together like yours are, do you ever get a different kind of chicken if you hatch any of the eggs? Do you know?
Gloria G!!
Posted by: Gloria | March 14th, 2013 at 2:47 am
Always a joy to read the Martha blog!
One question however. I was taught to only dry wipe the eggs as washing them makes the egg shell porous? In such a well kept coop the eggs shouldn't be too dirty (apart from the occasional cracked egg and some poop).
Posted by: Bee | March 14th, 2013 at 3:14 am
Good Morning Martha!
Another interesting blog! Everyday I learn something new with you! I too find chickens very interesting and would definitly have a few if my township ordinance allowed it. How can you beat farm fresh eggs!! I love the way you have many animals but everyone of them is treated with the upmost care...I notice how you take the time to provide a clean and healthy environment for all of them.....as it should be! Good job!!
Enjoy your day!
Linda Ortolano
Posted by: Linda Ortolano | March 14th, 2013 at 4:53 am
Hello Martha,
I just want to say that I have tasted your eggs and they are delicious. I have never seen egg yolks with such a deep rich color. You could sell them to area restaurants. I am sure the people that eat their food would notice a difference in the taste and the color
Posted by: Karen Tracy | March 14th, 2013 at 7:52 am
I love how all the chickens, roosters and guinea wait for Phurba at the entrance of the yard, they know when it's time to eat!
It looks like it takes dedication and hard work to properly house and feed chickens but that last picture shows how it is so worth it, beautiful, healthy eggs!
Posted by: Cindy F | March 14th, 2013 at 8:32 am
Martha,
Thanks for sharing this very fun blog! Love the geese.
Posted by: KLBrown | March 14th, 2013 at 8:46 am
Fresh and wholesome eggs from happy hens! If they could speak, they would thank you for your care.
A friend of mine has a sweet little cottage farm, and she keeps five different types of hens for a variety of eggs. She allows them to wander about the barnyard at times to kill the insects. Her barnyard is groomed so well by these hens that...she has no fleas or ticks, and her fly population is always under control.
Your birds are gorgeous! Thank you for the tour.
Barbara
Posted by: Barbara Mayer | March 14th, 2013 at 8:57 am
Hi Martha, Thank you so much for all 8 of those great tweets yesterday and how fun it was to see you on CNBC about your Home Depot visit in Las Vegas! You looked so great and very happy! I'll bet the weather was nice there, also! I absolutely love seeing this blog about all of those beautiful chickens, roosters, guinea fowls, and Pomeranian geese that are so lucky to live on your farm! You sure do know how to care for them properly and better than any one else! They are the healthist and best looking that I have ever seen! What a brilliant group who knows exactly when they will be fed every day! Phurba Sherpa sure does a great job feeding and taking care of all of those beauties in the chicken coops every day and he looks very happy, also! I love all of these marvelous photos and information presented today and would love to have some of your organic eggs! I get my organic eggs at Costco and they are very good, too! I love photos #21,28,&30 of the beautiful eggs Phurba collected and #34 that terrific Laura cleaned for you! I boiled some eggs yesterday by the directions you share with us and they were yummy! Hope you have another great day! Off to see The Daily Wag with Dr. Pia's latest blog! Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | March 14th, 2013 at 9:20 am
Martha - I have friends who raise chickens and my favorites are the ones called Sex-link. Apparently there are black and red sex-link chickens. What an odd name! I like them for their size and also the irridescence on their feathers. I believe that they lay brown eggs. Check out the sex-link breeds and see if any are suitable for your chicken collection.
John
Posted by: John Dolan | March 14th, 2013 at 9:40 am
I love seeing your chickens and coop. I always see some great ideas. I did want to add that I too have heard its best not to pre-wash eggs, that it removes the protective covering. Since the egg is porous and after washing it no longer has it's protection, I wonder if the egg would more easily take on outside flavors and odors and not stay as fresh as long. Sounds like a science project in the making. I do clean mine before using though.
Thanks for sharing!!
Posted by: Julie | March 14th, 2013 at 9:51 am
Martha or others who can answer this question,
What do you do with the chickens once they stop laying? I've hesitated to start raising chickens because of this. Many times I'll catch a wasp which has landed somewhere in the house with an inverted cup and a piece of cardboard because I don't want to kill it. That having been said, one of my favorite foods is chicken tenders with chili sauce. I can eat it but could never kill it.
Posted by: thomas | March 14th, 2013 at 9:55 am
I agree with you wholeheartedly on the factory farming of chickens for egg production. I watched a documentary not long ago about the conditions these poor animals are kept in and it was very disturbing. I by only eggs labeled as "Free-Range" these days because I was so horrified at what I saw.
Posted by: John Newman | March 14th, 2013 at 10:16 am
Once you've had fresh eggs, it's hard to go back! And speaking of eggs, I just pulled April's issue of Living from my mailbox and I have to say the decorative eggs on the cover are gorgeous. Can't wait to get reading!
Posted by: Rebecca Fieldhouse | March 14th, 2013 at 11:53 am
Beautiful!
Posted by: SuzieDearing | March 14th, 2013 at 11:58 am
Beautiful. I am looking forward to having my own eggs! Thank you for letting us see your house and farm.
Posted by: Tiffany | March 14th, 2013 at 12:00 pm
Hi Martha,
I think chickens are fascinating and cute. My mother had them on her little 'farm' up north in Michigan and I definitely enjoyed the fresh eggs for breakfast. Whenever she let them run free in the yard, we'd sit in chairs just to watch them and one of her favorites would always come over and hang out around us. The little black chicken in picture #11 reminds me of that one as she watches Phurba fill the hanging feeders. I like that your chickens are treated with loving kindness just like the rest of your animals. You taught Phurba well and I think it helped that he was already equipped with a gentle manner. Maybe that is why you chose him to take care of the chickens. Jude and Truman are going to learn so much from you about animals and who knows, they might want a farm of their own one day. Thanks for setting a good example for everyone and I think everyone should read your blog daily! They would most certainly learn something just like we, your regular readers do! Trish
Posted by: Trish | March 14th, 2013 at 12:03 pm
What a beautiful variety of chickens and fowl! Our neighbors keep some chickens, too, and I go and visit them sometimes with my 2 year old daughter. She loves to see them and I love that she knows exactly where the eggs she eats come from. (Our neighbors generously share with us.) That's wonderful you supply your whole family with fresh eggs.
Posted by: Eva @ Sycamore Street Press | March 14th, 2013 at 12:05 pm
Hi Martha,
I love today's blog! My favorite picture is #34!!! The beautiful bowl of fresh, organic eggs!! Such beauty in so many ways. Makes me smile. Yay, thank you!!
xo
Lisa
Posted by: Lisa Gordon-Miller | March 14th, 2013 at 12:13 pm
this article made me very happy i thought you need a licence to own and farm animals like chicken so glad so happy thank you
Posted by: tyree | March 14th, 2013 at 12:18 pm
I have been thinking about doing just what you are.My Granddaughter volunteers at the Toledo Zoo and has mentioned doing this. Just might happen.
Posted by: David P.Furry Sr | March 14th, 2013 at 12:42 pm
Hello Martha,
As always, I'm happy to see the pics about your farm that is a beautiful place. The organization and dedication of your staff is perfect. I adore it. Thanks again
Posted by: Maria Lúcia | March 14th, 2013 at 1:08 pm
What beautiful chickens and eggs! We too were horrified at the conditions of mass-produced eggs, so we got 6 chickens for our backyard. The deep yellows of the yolk, and the rich flavor, are no comparison to store-bought. Plus we know our hens are healthy! Thank you for sharing your chicken coops with us. =)
Posted by: Ryan Conners | March 14th, 2013 at 2:02 pm
Dear Martha,
) Or maybe he's getting old? I'll change to rubber right now just in case. The feeders you buy to feed baby chicks are aluminum so I assumed a metal feeder was ok...
It's your ethical thinking and motivations about eggs and having chickens (and gardens) of your own that I think are so honorable. I undertand that your company is founded on these principles. And for these reasons, I first become a fan. And frankly, I can't thank you enough!
So glad you mentioned the rubber feeders! My rooster just lost the tip of his top beak and now I wonder if the broiler pan I was using all these years has caused this? (Haa! Not to 'broil' him in! To feed him in!
I enjoyed the pics and seeing all the flocks again! Priceless information here for keeps! Thanks!
Posted by: Tina Y. | March 14th, 2013 at 2:24 pm
Oh Martha, I've always wanted my own chickens! Like you I worry about the conditions of the farms for commercial eggs so I try to buy local as often as possible. I had no idea that light triggers their ovaries - how fascinating!
Posted by: Jane | March 14th, 2013 at 2:45 pm
hello Martha,really enjoyed today's photos of all the chickens,guinea fowl and geese.they all look very well cared for and are beautiful to look at.we used to have chickens many years ago and then got out of it.we've been thinking about having some moreagain,the last photo of the bowl of fantastic egg colors is fantastic.looks like easter eggs>can those eggs be colored ?thank you again for the pix and have a great day!
Posted by: maria | March 14th, 2013 at 3:13 pm
Love the idea of placing the waterer atop a heated base! We're constantly having to change our chicken's water throughout the day because it freezes. I'll definitely have to look into this for next winter!
Posted by: erin | March 14th, 2013 at 3:38 pm
Awesome. Easter eggs. Chocolate?
Posted by: Char Arsenault | March 14th, 2013 at 3:40 pm
No need to dye eggs for Easter when they are that beautiful!
Posted by: Marsha | March 14th, 2013 at 6:00 pm
Beautiful eggs!
Happy Friday Martha and a Great weekend
Posted by: Rowaida Flayhan | March 14th, 2013 at 7:52 pm
Beautiful eggs appropriate to have them as my table centerpiece!!
Posted by: Jo Marie | March 14th, 2013 at 8:52 pm
I got to taste Martha's eggs too and they were tasty and so pretty. She brings them to work for her employees too and my daughter Lynn worked for her at the time.
Posted by: Kandy Maharas | March 14th, 2013 at 11:21 pm
Hi Martha, I love hearing about your chickens and seeing the beautiful photographs. We have four red star hens who are now just about a year old. Each day we get four eggs almost without fail. I would love to add to my small flock. Seeing your set up gives me inspiration. Thanks.
Posted by: Lauren Cardullo | March 14th, 2013 at 11:45 pm
Good one. Question will ur old shows, the half hour ones from Sunday on CBS, will they ever be on DVD. They were fab
Posted by: Chris | March 15th, 2013 at 12:48 am
I really enjoyed reading this blog and am looking forward to the April issue.
A year ago, the Easter Bunny brought baby chicks for our two daughters, Heather and Vanessa. It has been an absolutely amazing learning experience for everyone in the family. We have had a lot of adventures and are looking forward to many more. We call our group Henwarts and all the hens are named after characters from Harry Potter. We have an amazing story about a vet who came out when one of our favorites was attacked by a visiting dog. I assisted the vet who did surgery on our Buckeye, Lavender Brown. She was an excellent patient considering a large chunk of her back was ripped off. The vet said it was the weirdest thing he had ever done and didn't charge us. Lavender is doing well, giving us eggs and is buddies with our own dog despite being attacked by another.
I am amazed about the amount of times I have had conversations with people about raising chickens. It definitely sparks a lot of interest.
Thanks for sharing your coop with us.
Posted by: Belinda | March 15th, 2013 at 12:52 am
What beautiful eggs! I love the fact that part of the reason you keep your own chickens is b/c you want humane conditions for them, unlike many of the commercial chicken farms. It is clear that your fowl have a safe, clean, well-cared for environment. Thanks for sharing, Martha.
Angela
Posted by: Angela | March 15th, 2013 at 7:09 am
Hi Martha, Please check out my blog if will! Thank you!
Posted by: Lisa Magnuson | March 15th, 2013 at 8:57 am
Martha, love this post, my chickens would be insanely jealous of your chickens' lifestyle, it's a good job they don't have access to your blog - that's all I'm saying! Have a lovely weekend and hello from England. X
Posted by: Donna Monaghan | March 15th, 2013 at 12:25 pm
Your chicken's are beautiful. I am glad they are protected from harm. We too, have a source for organic eggs. We get white, tan, brown and green. I've never been to their place ,but I am curious if you know which chicken lay the green ones. ( I always think of Dr. Seuss and green eggs and ham.)
Posted by: Diane P | March 15th, 2013 at 8:12 pm
So pretty!
Posted by: Karen | March 16th, 2013 at 9:55 pm
Fresh farm eggs are new to me. After reading your article and listening to your egg episode on COOKING SCHOOL, I found a local person who sells fresh eggs. They are so much better it is hard to believe possible. The difference is remarkable. Thank you for sharing all your knowledge!! Fabulous!
Posted by: Lisa | March 16th, 2013 at 10:18 pm
I love your chicken coop, your chickens and eggs all look so beautiful! I think I would love to own one of those myself! Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Velma | March 17th, 2013 at 10:31 am
The colors of the eggs ar amazing. I love all of MS colors and products. They are inspiring and make me feel great while being creative.
Posted by: Cary | March 17th, 2013 at 3:50 pm
Dear MARTHA,
Chicken farm. ME reminds me of the chickens in the village. BUT THEY ARE ON THE ANIMAL FEED AND FERTILIZERS growing. Though I wish he we should eat delicious eggs.
Posted by: ÜLFET | March 18th, 2013 at 10:45 am
I am so enjoying reading your blog. Beautiful eggs...
Posted by: Sara | March 19th, 2013 at 2:25 am
I love your farm photos. I, very much, miss the March Gardening issue. Have you considered writing a book about your farm? History, restoration, gardens, etc.?
Posted by: Paloma Skye | March 19th, 2013 at 9:43 pm
Hello Martha,
Hope you are doing well through the hard winter.
Thank you for sharing, both in pictures, as well as explanation, of the egg producing process. Being a city girl, it is delightful to see it. The final eggs look lovely, like colored pebbles.
Sincerely,
Diane Hearn
Posted by: Diane | March 20th, 2013 at 11:05 am
How sweet, Phurba is very popular I see! Luv the color pallette of the hens, rooster, guinea hens, and eggs!
Posted by: Charmdeyes | March 23rd, 2013 at 7:42 pm
I'm reading the article in the current issue about chickens. Knew you would want to know that the idiom is actually "birds of a feather FLOCK together," not stick together
Posted by: Judy | March 24th, 2013 at 2:34 pm
Thank you for sharing the beautiful pictures of your coop and chickens. Seeing the "Chicken Show" a few years ago influenced me to get chickens of my own. We now have 6 happy and healthy hens and we are enjoying them (and their eggs) every day!
Thanks again!
Janice Small
Posted by: Janice Small | March 25th, 2013 at 11:14 pm
My grandmother used to raise chickens. We used to save our food scraps and when we went to visit (at least once a week) my brother and I would dump out the 'goodies' into the chicken yard. Often my grandmother would leave a few eggs behind for us to find. It was a good learning experience for us as kids. I now buy eggs at the local farmers' market. There is nothing better than farm fresh eggs from happy, healthy chickens!
Posted by: Tracy Pirzkal | April 4th, 2013 at 10:41 am
Hi..martha..we love you so much..kami berharap satu hari nanti kamu akan mengunjungi negara kami..dan kami pasti akan sangat senang.terima kasih
Posted by: Indah | April 14th, 2013 at 12:29 pm
This is great sharing for people like me who love chicken and organic eggs
People don't know how great chickens and chicken coops are! And lots of people don't know how to raise chicken and build chicken coop. You need detailed plans and instructions to build functional and good looking chicken coop. Then you also need to know how to raise chicken in proper conditions.
Posted by: Sarah | April 23rd, 2013 at 9:15 pm