Eggs Glorious Eggs

I willingly decided on raising Easter Egger Bantams for my first flock of backyard chickens. I knew readily that this particular breed would take a minimum of 6 months to mature into egg laying hens. Nope,  I couldn't just get normal hens that lay white or brown eggs (some laying as soon as 4-5months). I had to go for the designer light blue eggs in mini-chicken size.


What I didn't anticipate was how long that would actually feel. They were hatched on June 10, 2013, and their first egg was laid December 28, 2013. Do the math ... It was a long time.

To top it off, by mid-December the days were getting shorter and I read that hens needed 13-14 hrs of daylight to lay eggs. One part of me decided to accept the fact that I would be waiting til Spring to see any eggs. The other part of me feared I got 3-dud-poop-laying hens and I was doomed for urban chicken failure.

So on that glorious December morning during my usual early morning chicken duty. I was about to clean off their poop board tray and had to squint my morning eyes twice to believe what I was gazing upon. My heart skipped a beat and I had to convince myself that it wasn't my husband playing some cruel joke on me. Rest assured, it was a GLORIOUS blue egg, and the rest of the day I had a big smile on my face with an extra spring in my step.

I felt official,  I was a true Chicago backyard chicken keeper.

After that first egg, the gals have been popping those eggs out daily. Needless to say I have hoarded them; placing them in neat little piles, lining them up, and posing them in fun containers. My family and my eggs have graciously endured my paparazzi-like behavior.

It takes a hen 25hours to lay their next egg. I truly appreciate this daily miracle of nature. And they now lay all their eggs conveniently in their nest boxes; which amazes me and pleases my husband, since he put sooo much time in making those egg boxes.

My flock of three hens are cared for well and I pay close attention to what they are fed. After all we do eat their yummy eggs.

It is a simple pleasure to collect their eggs everyday. And I make sure to say "thank you",  every time I collect another glorious egg.

Posted with Blogsy