![\"\"](\"http:\/\/ruffledfeathersandspilledmilk.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/0243.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nEmpty.\u00a0 Nothing.\u00a0 Nada.\u00a0 Zip.\u00a0 Zero.<\/p>\n
Right in time for holiday baking and there are no eggs.\u00a0 I understand that the decreasing daylight, lower temperatures, and the molting process mean the hens aren’t up for lots of laying.\u00a0 I don’t take it personally.\u00a0 Really.\u00a0 If the hens happen to hear me muttering under my breath as I check the nest boxes, I’m just talking things out to myself.\u00a0 You know, going over the repairs that need to be made to the barn, figuring out if the tax refund will be enough to cover the bank overdrafts for this year, wondering if I should buy the usual French Vanilla creamer or experiment with the Warm Sugar Cookie with Cinnamon flavor, deciding which hens are old enough to go into the crockpot…stuff like that.<\/p>\n
But I do stop buying expensive layer pellets.\u00a0 It’s strictly a few handfuls of scratch from now until the winter solstice.\u00a0 Mmmmm, corn.\u00a0 Their favorite.<\/p>\n
Plus any scraps from the dinner table or leftovers that we just haven’t gotten around to eating.\u00a0 Mmmmm, sweet potatoes still hanging around from Thanksgiving, PBJ crusts from lunchboxes, and broccoli with cheese that just can’t be reheated one more time.\u00a0 Their favorite.<\/p>\n Believe me, chickens were dumpster divers long before it became the green thing to do.<\/p>\n On occasion they get warm milk that can’t be used because somebody (we won’t name names will we, Brianna?) put a dirty hoof in it on the milk stand.\u00a0 Mmmmm, milk.\u00a0 Their favorite.<\/p>\n Not to mention, the excellent and tasty protein they get from the carcasses remaining after I make some stock.\u00a0 Mmmmm, chicken.\u00a0 Their favorite.<\/p>\n Bet you city people didn’t know that chickens love chicken.\u00a0 Bet you’re thinking you could have lived withOUT knowing that.<\/p>\n On a really desperate day, they can even FORAGE.\u00a0 It’s a dirty word for the girls, I know.\u00a0 But they are free range hens.\u00a0 And the ground isn’t even close to frozen (we haven’t had a single night under 29 degrees and only a few of those) so I know there’s lots of bugs and grubs right under the leaf debris.<\/p>\n Even the goats are still finding acorns scattered throughout the woods.\u00a0 Well, the goats find acorns when they aren’t busy napping in the sun, using their fat tummies as built-in pillows.\u00a0 Jeez. I really think I have a problem with portion control when it comes to feeding the goats.\u00a0 Now that I think about it portion control is not my strong suit in general.\u00a0 I mean, how can 3 Oreos be one serving size? Really? 3???!!<\/p>\n And what, may you ask, did I get in return for this half-hearted, careless, feeding program?<\/p>\n Dirty looks?\u00a0 Ankle attacks?\u00a0 Loitering on the deck rails?<\/p>\n Nope.<\/p>\n Yesterday I got this:<\/p>\n Eggs.\u00a0 A bunch of eggs.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n