Winter...Winter... Chicken dinter bell...

Winner... Winner... Chicken dinner bell...

My favorite girl...

Stubborn girl...

Nosey Nellie...

Daily gift...

Coop poop...

     Time to clean last year's litter out of the coop.  (Throw on the bib overalls!)  There's a couple different theories out there as to how long to wait to clean out your coop.  I use the deep litter method.  I remove the straw once a year when I am ready to plant the garden.

     There is enough litter to spread through out the garden.  The dried "gems" are one of the best naturally produced fertilizers you can find.  I can count on the help from the ladies spreading the straw around with their never ending curiosity, need to scratch and companionship.

     I start with 2 bales of straw each year which will be the base layer for next years' deep litter method.  

     I put a generous layer of fresh straw in the corners, laying boxes and the floor.  This will be at least 12" deep.  The "ladies" really enjoy scratching and moving new straw around.  This new straw will be the base layer of next years' garden fertilizer.  The straw will "settle" in height after a some pooping and trampling by the ladies.
     I'll add another bale of straw every 6 weeks to the existing layer of straw until  December.  This keeps any odors down and keeps the "ladies" scratching around which helps the natural break down process going.  By the time winter arrives,  there is a thick protective layer of straw on the floor to keep it insulated throughout the long winter months.  I also add straw to the walls throughout the year to help keep it cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. Believe it or not, the deep litter method  is pretty much odor free when done properly and does actually produce heat.  This helps the coop warm along with a heat lamp in the winter months. (Even though the girls are remarkably "hardy" when it comes to winter time).

    

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Good Impression...

cleaning in the rain

Time to clean up...

Over here...

Under here...

Back here...

A little further back...

And behind my ear...

sharing....

My blackhawks...

My black Orpingtons sleep in the tree next to the coop in the spring/summer...  They still are "wild" birds in that aspect...  It's pretty cool to see actually...  I guess they know what they're doing...  They are still running to see me when I pull in the yard after work each day...

Pretty girl...

Good morning ladies...

Egg day...

One of the laying boxes.  I did not make this one.  It was out of an old abandoned coop.

The girls have their own little spots in the coop.

In my coop, some of the ladies like to share the same nest and do rotate spots from week to week.

www.motherearthnews.com/eggs.aspx
www.motherearthnews.com/uploadedFiles/Eggs chart.pdf

Gathering eggs is a daily privilege that I look forward to and do so very much enjoy.  Anyone who has chickens and gathers eggs knows this feeling.  I make sure I tell the girls thanks when they follow me into the coop.  It's a cool relationship. 

 

Free Range chickens

 

     Free range chickens...  I wouldn't have it any other way.  Having the ladies roam the yard is heartwarming to me.  Each one has their own "routine and quirks" which all add to their individual personalities.  They all know where the coop is and instinctively return to it every night.  They are welcome to go where ever they want.  Nowhere is off limits.  They do like the garden, the deck, outdoor furniture and the tall grass around the house. "Land mines" are all in the package, but hey... it's great fertilizer!

There is obviously the threat of predation.  I've probably lost about 1/3rd to racoons, dogs, or hawks.  That's been hard, but a it's part of nature's way and I've learned to take a few measures to prevent future incidents.  The door of the coop is always closed except when gathering eggs or cleaning the coop.  I leave a window open year round and the girls fly up to get into it to lay eggs or roost at night.  There are a couple "goof balls" that have their own sleeping spots.

The window that stays open year round.

"Herta" likes to sleep on the window...

"Black Hawk" only sleeps in a tree next to the coop... (Year round!!!)  One tough bird...

Some of the ladies like the window roosts...

Some of the ladies like the top of the laying box...

Gran "the stinker" in the cold frame...

One of this year's "new little shits" checking out the bench I made...

Someone's been on the deck...

Someone's been on the side walk...

Some of the girls scratching in the back of the garden...

 So in a nutshell...  I'm loving the free range philosophy...  Chickens are a blessing... 

Cleanup time...

I can't remember what it was like not having chickens in the backyard.  Actually...  it must have been very boring...  I enjoy sitting and watching their evening cleanup time.   The ladies usually take 30 minutes or so to shake the dirt out and primp before bed time.  While they are doing all this, they fill the air with soft clucks and purrs... To me, it's nice to take time, plop down on the ground and take in the nightly routine.