Introducing...my girls

Today I'd like to introduce you to my girls:

We've had chooks on and off for a number of years. I love being able to eat fresh eggs whenever I want to*, and even better share them with my friends and family.

* Except when it's winter and their laying cycles are all out of whack. Or when it's really hot and they get broody. Or when the crows come in and steal them...

At the moment, we have 8 chooks. Most of them are rescued; mostly from people who decided it wasn't worth the effort. I love 'em. I love the way they run to meet me at the gate, the way they carry on when the dog gets too close, the way they can spot (and catch) a bug at 5 metres, and of course the way they give me yummy eggs. 

Sometimes they make me cranky, like when they got out recently and dug up half my garlic, but mostly, I love 'em.

What chooks do to plants if you let them - a blackberry bush in their yard

But they do require some work. They eat a heap, so you've gotta make sure they've got seed and plenty of green pick (luckily our weeds do that job most of the time, we just pull them out and give them to the girls). You've gotta keep their nest boxes clean and comfy, and you've gotta watch out for their health.

Then, there are the other problems. For a long time, we has ravens coming in regularly to steal eggs from the nesting boxes. I mean they went right into the shed, stole them out of the boxes (whole!), and flew off with them (whole!). We tried plastic owls, CDs, scarecrows, roofing and all sorts of things, but nothing deterred them. Until we put in this special door that the chooks have to go under to go to bed.

But all of this is worth it. Because when you want to make a nice meringue, cake or a delicious breakfast, you know you've got the most important ingredient sorted.

And they're fascinating! Here are some interesting things I've found out about chooks in my time as a chook owner:

• A group of chickens will always have a dominant one and one right at the bottom of the pecking order. The dominant one gets the best sleeping spot and eats first. The other? Last...
• A chicken's reproductive cycle is influenced by the number of daylight hours. That's why they don't lay as often in winter.
• Chickens will eat just about anything. And they love mice! Ewwwwwww!
• The colour of egg yolks is related to what chooks eat. Dark yellow usually means there are greens in the diet, light yellow usually indicates a grain-based diet. 
• Egg shell colour is usually related to the colour of the chicken.
• Eggs are one of the best sources of protein.
• Chickens wake at dawn and go to sleep at dusk. In fact, in times past, people used chickens to turn the street lights on and off!