Hey guys, it's Jeff. Welcome to the new domain - backyardpeeps.com! If you're still headed to thearnholts.blogspot.com, you can redirect to our new domain for the blog. We changed the layout a bit too, let us know what you think!
I know Kelly mentioned that she'd do her best to stop talking about the chickens, so I decided to take on the post this weekend. Guess what I'll be talking about?
Chickens.
I just had to, as we purchased a new coop a that I've been eyeing up for over a year now. Even before we had the chickens. Yea, it's pretty chic and fashionable, but the design is outstanding. It's called the Eglu from a small British company called Omlet.
It's got some great features that you wouldn't normally find in a coop. Check their site to see all the excellent features.
We ended up buying some 1in x 2in fencing to extend the run by about 6 feet. Now our 5 peeps have plenty of room to run around in the sun all day.
So why did we need another coop? Well, I built one a little while back and we've had it in our garage since the spring. Our normal routine would be to come home, handle the chickens every day (a bit stressful for them), carry them out to the yard, put them in the garden box tops, and return them to the coop in a few hours. Very safe from predators at night, but it was alot of work and they kick up a TON of dust. Our cars were coated with a few layers every morning, and I'm sure it wasn't the healthiest environment for them on a daily basis.
With the addition of the Eglu, they have the option of being outside all day. It's portable, so they get a new patch of grass every few days. No dust, plenty of sunshine, and plenty of clover / grass. We've been able to tell the difference - they are more active, enforce the pecking order less, and run around in a constant state of bliss! In addition to the clover, regular feed, and all the bugs they can find in the run, we feed them all kinds of nasties . . . grubs, japanese beetles, worms, and slugs.
Even more importantly, there are some definitive benefits of raising pastured animals and limiting the amount of corn/soy based feed in their diet. I've come to some great conclusions regarding the research. Compared to the USDA's nutrient data of typical supermarket eggs, pastured eggs have:
• 1⁄3 less cholesterol
• 1⁄4 less saturated fat
• 2⁄3 more vitamin A
• 2 times more omega-3 fatty acids
• 3 times more vitamin E
• 7 times more beta carotene
Mother Earth News compiled some of this data, which you can check here.
So that's it for this weekend. And I PROMISE we'll get off the chicken kick soon. We'll have plenty to talk about in the near future. See you soon!
