Congratulations Roberta! it sounds very exciting. How many chickens do you have? Are you going to wash all the eggs? Where are you going to sell them?

I found myself this summer rinsing the eggs and washing some that were a bit dirty. Usually I only wash the ones that look a little dirty since I want to preserve the "bloom" but with the eggs in the heat this summer I didn't want to take a chance. Once the weather cools I will go back to not washing the clean looking ones. The real dirty ones go into the dog bowl.

Unfortunately we do have a young pullet that poops in the nesting boxes. She is my one chicken that was hand raised indoors due to her younger age and then "integrated" to the outdoor group. She sleeps in the nest boxes hence the mess but my hope is once she starts laying she'll get the hint it's not a bathroom facility!

I'm so glad that your chicken experience has been so good, my coops didn't smell much until I got my ducks! the water catcher is a real stink tank, which reminds me, I need to get on dh about building them their own pad!

Take care,
Sheila

We currently have 17 New Hampshire Reds that are laying, four Barred Rocks that are just about ready to and 50 pullets that are still enclosed in a large elect. mesh fenced enclosure. Those are only two months old and not yet ready to join the big girls.

We also have four roosters and I hope that won't turn out to be too many!