I'm sure our backyard chickens are feeling the same...sans the fuzzy blanket and crocheted slippers. They wander aimlessly about the backyard in hopes of finding some wiggly bug. They are few and far between this time of year. They spend most of their time huddled under the deck in hopes we will throw them some fresh spinach or leftover broccoli.
Their coop is large and comfortable with a nice carpet of fresh hay. They have a big bin full of oyster shell. Their feeder is full of organic hen scratch and they have fresh water. Still...they refuse to stay inside. They are always on the look out for some tasty morsel and some sign of spring.
Every year in January they make some sort of statement. They make this statement by refusing to lay eggs. Oh, we get 3 or 4 eggs a week, a weak effort for 11 chickens! Each January we make our way to the grocery store to buy a dozen eggs...sigh...until the girls snap out of this winter stupor...
Last night I decided I needed to help them out of their "seasonal affective disorder". I decided to make them a treat and remind them how much we appreciate them!
Honestly, I'm not really sure they will start laying more eggs...but, I am committed to helping them through the winter blahs.
The last two nights we have roasted acorn squash. A nice inclusion in this weeks winter CSA bag. The first night I gave the hens the seeds and trimmings. Last night there was more than we could eat. I was just going to throw the leftovers out this morning when we opened up the coop. In my own winter boredom I decided to make them a treat instead. I snooped through the fridge and found an almost empty container of almond butter. I decided to blend up the squash remains with the almond butter.
I figured I could clean out the pantry at the same time. I was pretty sure there would be a few more things I could add.
Sure enough! Back behind the bottled tomatoes I found an old bag of quinoa! Ok, I'm going to make a confession here...There may have been a few weevils (should that be plural or not?) roaming around inside! ACKKK...Don't judge...and, the chickens would regard this as an added bonus! A delicacy!
I dumped the bag inside the squash/almond butter mixture...
I also had a bag of "fresh" sunflower seeds. Perfect...I made cute little balls and rolled them in the sunflowers seeds...the chickens really like all this stuff!
I popped them in the fridge to set up nicely. Oh, don't worry... I did warn Hubs they were for the chickens...(It could have been possible he would have wanted to sample one of these...no biggy except for that little weevil issue).
This morning I went out while the girlies were huddled in their usual spot under the deck. Of course when they hear me they scurry out in hopes of good news.
They seemed pretty pumped to be getting some "chicken balls"! Now...for those of you that don't yet have chickens...please don't be alarmed by this little gal in the forefront...Poor dear is molting. I think it bothers us more than it does her. She looks like hell! The first time I saw a molting chicken I was seriously freaked. I always feel bad when they molt in the winter and worry that she must be freezing in her featherless state of being...But, they always survive!
She was totally working me...playing on my sympathies...yeah...of course she got extra!
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