Country Fresh Eggs

I don't know whether chickens are supposed to continue laying all winter or not, but ours usually let up during the coldest months. I guess some folks keep a light and possibly heat with their hens all winter, but we never have. I insulated the hen house a little better for them this winter, and it seems they have started laying a little earlier than usual. Maybe the temperature does have something to do with it, but then, I suppose it might have something to do with what and how much you feed them, too.For the most part, we feed our hens shelled corn and ground up hog feed. Several farmers in our area use the hog feed and have claimed to get excellent results. Laying mash is so expensive. You can buy eggs cheaper than you can raise them, unless you have free range hens, which we don't. I have garden and flowers, so we keep ours in a pen. They do better on open range, but Pop doesn't want to spend the money it takes for more area for them.If it were up to me alone, I would have built a larger chicken pen, 30 years ago. I do love having a few chickens around, but not in my flowerbeds.I had problems with his hunting dogs in my flowerbeds for many years, but he's not able to hunt anymore, so we are all out of beagle hounds. We only have a couple of watch type yard dogs now, and our Sarah.She is mostly an indoor dog.Except when Pop is going somewhere in one of the trucks or four wheelers. Then she is an outdoor dog.She is his sidekick 90% of the time, and my sidekick when it's mealtime.But back to the eggs. We normally use 1 egg a day, and that's for his nightly ritual of cornbread and milk and tomatoes.(If there is anything to Lycopene in tomatoes being as wonderful as they claim, for one's health, he should have no problems in that department.)We don't eat eggs very often for breakfast. Cholesterol, you know.We'll have them, maybe once a week.I don't use them for cakes and the like, only on special occasions. Neither of us needs to put on any more weight.So I'll take a dozen to Mom on occasion, and he'll give the girls a dozen on occasion.I think the younger daughter spoke to her Dad tonight about them possibly getting a few hens, for eggs and for the grandchildren to have as pets. I think having a few little chores like caring for the animals, builds character, and a few character building chores never hurt anyone.I hope, for their sake, they get the hens and the pen built,this spring.

I have been so excited about my new book I had published on my blog, I have not been getting that sleepy at bedtime,since I got it. I worked most of the last few days, in the basement. I am so excited, the adrenalin is surging in my veins still. I haven't been getting tired enough to calm down and go to bed at night at a decent hour. I got more supplies from the hardware store today. My basement is kinda like they say about being in the Army.."If it moves, salute it, if it doesn't, paint it."I think I have painted everything that does not move.I have been building a few wall shelves for my new room.I love working with wood. I love having my first basement, and I doubt it will ever be as nice as the rest of the house, but I am hoping to make it nice and clean and comfortable to be in when we are down there.I hope to have a few pictures to show soon, but I am not quite ready for the Big Reveal just yet.I will close for tonight, as bad as I hate to, but I will have the grand son,possibly for the next 2 days and nights. He doesn't go to school on Thursdays, and his school is out on Friday, so he's already called to see if he can come to Meemaw's house.No need to tell you what the answer was.Have a Good Night and a Prosperous Day Tomorrow.