White or Brown, what's the diff?

Well, today, I think I'll start by answering a question from one of my readers.  I sent an email but the connection seems to be wonky.  So here it is.  What is with the wooden eggs?

I put the wooden eggs (called nest eggs) in the nest boxes to encourage the hens to lay there.  They seem to gravitate toward something that has eggs in it already.  This is not ALWAYS the case, which is why I have  miss broody one on a rogue nest that she picked for herself.

Oh yeah, by the way, there was no wooden egg on the floor of the coop yesterday, so I guess that problem worked itself out.

When is she going to put in an escalator??

Also, while I am in an eggucating mood, a couple other facts.

Brown eggs versus White eggs.  For some reason, the general public seems to think that brown eggs are better for you than white eggs.  Not true.  The only difference is that brown eggs come from dark colored chickens and white eggs come from light colored chickens.  There is no difference in nutritional value.  That comes in with the chicken's diet.  Chickens who are pastured, that is, they eat fresh grasses, make a healthier egg, filled with omega 3.  The yolk from these eggs is a vibrant orange, as opposed to those that are store bought, even compared to the store bought organic eggs.  I'll talk more about pastured chickens at a future time.

How to tell the age of an egg.  When you open an egg, and pour it out on a surface, note the yolk.  The flatter the yolk, the older the egg.  The yolk of a fresh egg hold's it shape.  Also, the fresher the egg, the easier it is to separate yolk from white.

Man, JW is crowing up a storm.  At 12:30.  Watching him, it looks like it really hurts, almost like projectile crowing.

I did a little more tilling this afternoon.  I was determined to get it done, but ran into a fire ant bed and decided to quit.  I'm always worried that the chickens will get into them but they never seem to.

Next, to make mini empanadas for the bday cookout for an aunt and uncle-in-law.  Worked out well stuffed with black beans, corn, onions, pablano, cilantro and melty cheese (I can't spell motzerella, motserela, oooohh).

Then a quick glass of vino on the porch.  JW stood on the porch the whole time, crowing.  We are definitely heading for a mexican standoff.  Soon.  Shorts weather is coming up and I don't want my legs all scratched and bruised.  We shall see.

Over to the party now, so I will sign off early.

Bak Bak