Comments on: The Secret Life of Chickens

By: Candice

Candice — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 06:03:04 +0000

I just found your blog and it’s so cute! I love your writing and commentary. I also have chickens, we just moved and now have an acre, so we decided chickens would be our first try at animals, and we LOVE them! They are so funny with their own personalities! I can easily relate to your experiences. If I’d known how fun it was to have chickens, and how great they are for my little kids I think I would have gotten some years ago! I live in AZ, I’m not sure where you are, but it sounds like a different type climate from what we have here. We don’t have to worry about enough light for them in a day, we have to worry about them not getting too hot and cooking to death in the heat!

By: sulli

sulli — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 12:28:16 +0000

Hi… I just thought I would let you know that your chickens came about 2 or 3 weeks after mine did, and mine have finally started to lay eggs this week, yours should be coming soon. I didnt think it would take this long, the guy at the chicken store said 8 weeks, but it was more like 16 i think.

By: Carole @ Fowl Visions

Carole @ Fowl Visions — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 16:16:41 +0000

I also use the golf ball method to get my hens to lay in the nest. Great pictures of the chickens.

By: Terry

Terry — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 00:22:23 +0000

Loved the golf balls. My dad whittled some “eggs”, then mom painted them, I think she painted them white and brown. I can’t recall if it made the chickens lay any faster but it was neat to think you had an egg in the nest, lol, I was little. Dad also tried the light and no light methods and finally ended up using the no light. Jenn said it best, they will lay when it is their time. I know how it is to wait tho.

By: Jenn

Jenn — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:51:40 +0000

My hens all lay through the winter without a light. As long as you are gathering the eggs every day (once they start laying!), they’ll keep laying because their goal is to fill a nest to go broody on. As long as you are taking them away, they will continue to attempt to achieve that goal. Every now and then one or two will take a rest from laying for a month, then start laying again. Being forced into laying by keeping the light on 14 hours a day during the winter is really, really hard on their bodies, which is why layers in factory egg farms don’t last very long at all.

When they are ready, they will lay.

I have a couple of hens that always attempt to roost on TOP of each other, despite tons of roost room in the hen house! They are silly animals, I love ‘em!

By: tom

tom — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 02:44:44 +0000

Ain’t it fun. I just wish I didn’t have to sleep. There’s never enough time in the day. I’m gonna up there to meet ya one of these days.

By: Susan

Susan — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 22:20:11 +0000

I loved your blog today! I always love your blog though.

By: Cheryl in Sunny Cal (Calhoun Co.)

Cheryl in Sunny Cal (Calhoun Co.) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 20:21:25 +0000

I LOVE this website! I read a story about Suzanne in the newspaper and have been following the site ever since! Keep up the great work and the wonderful stories. Have you ever thought about being a photographer?? The pictures I have seen on here are outstanding! Can’t wait to read tomorrow’s adventures :clap:

By: sunnid755

sunnid755 — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 20:20:30 +0000

I thought at first you had eggs, then I realized they were golf balls!! I was so excited! How silly! Good Luck and thanks again for sharing!

By: Brandy

Brandy — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 20:08:26 +0000

The sleeping chickens are hilarious! I’m feeling sorry for the Ducks, though. I wouldn’t make a good Farmer. *G*