Wishing Everyone The Best 2010! What better way to start the New Year, writing about newly laid eggs, a symbol of fertility and new life through the ages.

My French Marans hens have started laying their beautiful chocolate eggs once again, only six days after the winter solstice, December 21, which marks the commencement of longer daylight. The increased daylight often measured in increased minutes of daylight, signals chickens in general to begin laying.

If you let your hens follow their instincts, and don't add supplemental light in their coop to keep them laying, they will take a natural break or molt in the fall to winter, and begin laying once again with the natural stimulation of incremental increased daylight. This can vary by a hen's age and breed. When a hen does start laying once again, after a break, her eggs might be smaller at first in size.

In a previous post here at VGG, Discovering The French Marans Chicken Breed, I write in detail about the French Maran breed, and how they actually secrete a dark chocolate tint to their eggs aided by a unique mucous gland in the last moments of laying their eggs. This is the secret of their deep chocolate color, and what is unique to their breed. In the photo above, you can see the first egg is two-toned, as my French Marans hen, Coco, turned on her mucous gland, as she commences to begin laying her first egg, after her fall/winter break. The second laid egg is fully tinted dark chocolate, and it appears that her egg-laying process is in place. It is yet another example of how beautiful mother nature is.

For more information on the French Marans Chicken Breed please go to Marans Chicken Club USA. See "Diggin' These Links", on my home page- left side bar, for more chicken-related links I've assembled especially for you.

Are your hens starting to lay since the winter solstice? Do you have any "egg stories" to share?

Announcing for all of you that live in the Encinitas area, Weidner's Gardens is hosting a "Fruit Tree Workshop" on Saturday, January 16, 2009.  Come see their fabulous bare root fruit tree selection for the season, and learn a few tips. See below for details. Hope to see you there!

11:00-1pm, Master Gardener, John Marsh, will  speak on "Pruning Your Fruit Trees."

1:00-2:00pm, VintageGardenGal, Bonnie Jo Manion, will speak on the "Basics of Espaliered Fruit Trees."

Weidner's Gardens, 695 Normandy Rd., Encinitas, CA 92024, (tel) (760) 436-2194, www.weidners.com, Saturday, January 16, 2009, Hours are 9:00am - 4:30pm

Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! Embrace the simple things. Be grateful for all that you have in your life. Cherish your family and friends. Take time to reflect on this past year. Don't forget to give back and pay forward. Count your blessings.

VintageGardenGal will be back next week. Happy Thanksgiving from J.Lo, Julia, Fanny and CoCo.

There is something about chickens which just fascinate children. Whenever we have children visiting, it is always the chickens and chicken coop they want to venture to first. Maybe, it is because they don't have the opportunity to see chickens, other then in a book, or at the zoo. Maybe it is because chickens are relatively small in size, generally not aggressive, communicate in "coos and clucks", can be hand-fed treats, and often are as curious about children as children are about them.

If you have children, and you are thinking of getting chickens, I would encourage you. First, make sure you are zoned correctly for chickens. Second, research what breeds of chickens make the best pets. Third, know your children would treat your new hens as pets and with loving care.

When I say chickens, I really mean hens, and not roosters. Roosters can be aggressive, and are not for children, or some adults for that matter. Although roosters can be quite beautiful and magnificent in plumage, there is their daybreak cockle-doddle-do, sharp leg spurs, and aggressive territorial nature. Generally speaking, roosters are not for children.

I think chickens and children are a natural mix, because chickens can introduce them to, and teach them many beginning life lessons.

1) Hens can teach children about discipline and routine. Hens are living creatures, and must be cared for every morning and night. Hens must have feed and clean water every day. Their manure must be cleaned out and properly managed. In winter, and in bad weather, they must be protected from the cold, wet, drafts, and dampness. Chickens entertain themselves easily, and can thrive in a safe protected environment. They can not however, be neglected.

2) Hens can teach children beginnings about where their food comes from. They might actually observe a hen laying an egg, and what she goes through to lay that egg for them. Children may have the experience of holding a just-laid egg, still warm from a hen's body. A child might have the duty of collecting eggs every day as one of their chores.

3) Hens can teach children love. Hens if handled kindly from an early age can easily bond and become very tame and affectionate with whomever they see all the time, and who takes care of them. If allowed to roam out in your garden, chances are they will follow your children around in your yard, wanting to be close to them, too.

4) Hens can teach children about distinct personalities and traits, that become more pronounced over time. Let your children name their hens, and follow their personalities and observe their traits. We as people are not all the same, and neither are chickens.

5) Hens can teach enterprising children the basics of business. Children can catch on to how much it costs to keep their hens, deducting those costs from their egg sales. Who wouldn't want to buy fresh, oh-so-tasty organic eggs from your entrepreneurial son or daughter in the neighborhood.

6) Hens can be a special time that you and your children share and spend together taking care of them. Watch how your children interact with the hens. Hens are so entertaining and fun. Hens are more entertaining than TV or video games.

Show your children the best way to pick up your hens, and practice this till your children are comfortable. Never pick up a hen from her neck, wings, feet, or legs. Bend down, put both hands firmly, but not squeezing, over the side of her main body, keeping her wings close to her body and unable to flap. Pick her up gently, and hold her close to your body, and under your arm. When putting her down, keep her wings still against her body, and gently lower her to the ground. Never drop her. Hens are hardy, but also fragile. If unsure how your child or children will react with hens, always supervise them.

Depending on the age of your children, you might want to start out simply with letting your children pet your hens, feel their soft feathers, and possibly hand-feed treats of lettuce. Let your children visit them everyday. Gradually as your children get a little older, and more comfortable with your hens, introduce other aspects of taking care of them.

Generally speaking the smaller simple-feathered Bantam breeds are a nice size for small children. I always have enjoyed the Buff Orpington, Wyndotte breeds, which fall under the heavy-weight homesteader breeds. Although docile and easy going, these breeds might be too heavy for children to pick up. Some of the fancier designer chicken breeds are more skittish, and have more upkeep with keeping their feathers and plumage clean. Read up on chicken breeds with detailed descriptions of life spans, general traits, and you will find the best breed for you and your children. It is a personal preference.

Do you have chickens for your children now? What breed of hens do you have? Do you think having hens has been a valuable experience for your children?

Chickens and backyard chicken coops have got to be one of the hottest trends happening today in the garden, right up there with growing your own vegetables. In case you missed it this week, there was an interesting article in the New York Times about backyard chickens, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/04/business/04chickens.html? emc=eta1.

Last month, the fab daily e-newsletter out of Southern California, "dirt du jour", spoke about the upcoming trend of chicken coop tours alongside garden tours in various parts of the country, http://www.dirtdujour.com/item/tour_de_coop/

Recently, dear friend, Debra Prinzing, author of Stylish Sheds and Elegant Hideaways wrote on her blog, Shedstyle, "Chicken Coop Sightings" and how utterly charming, beautiful, and creative chicken coops can be. Thank you for including "Coop de Manion" in your sightings.

Check out the latest scoop.

Originally, I found an advertisement for French Wheaten Marans chicks at my local feed store's bulletin board, and decided to order some chicks from the breeder. I was unfamiliar with this chicken breed, but was captivated by them. What makes this breed so unique is their dark chocolate colored eggs. By unusual circumstances, and many twists and turns, I was actually given the breeder's two "1-year old" hens last week. I promptly and appropriately named our new two French Wheaten Marans hens, Fanny and CoCo.

The Marans chicken breed originates from western France, around the actual town of Marans, and near La Rochelle. The Marans rooster is very striking, multi-colored, and is often depicted in French paintings and farm scenes. The hens look totally different from the rooster. Within this Marans breed there are actually eight or more colors or varieties. Our Wheaten Marans hens are one of the varieties, being light buff in body, with darker buff feathers around their neck, shoulder, and tail feathers. For a little drama, their tail feathers have a striking black tip on the ends. The most well known varieties within the Marans breed are the Cuckoo and Black Copper.

Marans chickens are generally characterized as a large attractive hardy breed. They are very active chickens, and do well in a homestead setting. They have a friendly docile temperament. They have a single red comb. and can come in feathered or clean-leg varieties. They were originally bred for their very dark brown egg production, and meat value.

It is the dark chocolate colored laid egg, which attracts most people to the bred, and which sets them apart from all other chicken breeds. The Marans egg receives its deep brown color right before laying. A deep chocolate brown pigment is deposited and tinted over the finished egg by way of mucus glands within the last 10 centimeters of the hen's oviduct before laying. Immediately after laying, this layer of tint dries quickly and the shell retains its beautiful dark chocolate color. Remember, the egg's flavor is determined by what the hen eats, therefore these eggs will not taste like chocolate. It is all about the "wow factor" in the visual appeal of the egg.

This differs from your usual farm-fresh brown eggs, most generally laid by heavy-weight chicken breeds, where the tan pigment is built into the shell calcium as the egg travels down the hen's oviduct, and not tinted in the last moments of being laid. Similarly, the popular blue-green egg laid by the Ameraucana breed is tinted throughout the thickness of the shell. With your normal brown eggs, and blue-green eggs, the color cannot be removed. However, the deep chocolate brown color on a Marans egg can be washed off with water, if you attempt it.

All of you who have been following this blog by now know we have our other beloved chickens, our "Hollywood Girls". With the introduction of Fanny and CoCo, there is an adjustment period, a "get to know you" period, and a creation of a new pecking order. While I'm watching this all unfold, I'd love to hear from you. Especially if you are familiar with the Marans chicken breed. What do you like most about the breed? What do you like most about the eggs? Do you have a Maran rooster, too? What variety do you have?

If you have chickens, do yourself a favor as well as your chickens, by keeping their coop and outside pen clean. In a clean environment, your chickens will be healthy, happy, and flourish for many years. On the flip side, if your chicken coop and outside pen is always dirty, you are courting disease, stress, flies, rancid food, rodents, dirty eggs, and more. Your flock will not be able to live an optimum healthy happy life.

We all live in different parts of the country and the world with different climates, and most likely have some sort of unique chicken coop set up. So the formula is, what ever works for you, as long as your chickens are in a clean environment. Do you have tips for keeping your chicken coop clean, that you would like to share?

I have mentioned previously in the post, "Backyard Chicken Coop", Roosting Bar & Manure Box, I clean my manure box under my hen roosting bar every morning, skimming it and putting it into the compost. I rotate my chicken coop bedding on a regular basis, starting with fresh bedding in the nesting boxes, rotating the bedding to the chicken coop floor and then to the manure box, and finally to the compost bin. This method of cleaning has worked quite well for me.

My hens always have plenty of fresh water and quality laying mash. I supplement with greens, fruits, and vegetables every day for treats. Any uneaten treats also go into the compost bin. Chickens love their protein, as much as their grain. Do not be alarmed if your chickens eat a mouse, small lizard, grasshopper, snail, worm...these are also perfectly natural foods for chickens.

Every month, or more frequently if needed, I thoroughly clean my chicken waterers by soaking them in a tub of "food safe dish soap" and and a few tablespoons of bleach for a half an hour or so. The bleach acts as a sterilizing agent. There are "environmentally safe" bleaches available on the market now. Never mix any soaps or cleaners with your chicken waterers that may be toxic, and leave a residue. With a toothbrush, I scrub the chicken waterer lip and basin. Here in Southern California, in the summer heat, sometimes I get a green scum build up, so I clean my chicken waterers more frequently. Make sure to rinse your waterers well before filling with water and returning them to your chickens. When cleaning your waterers, make sure your chickens have an alternative source of water to drink from.

Protect your feed from rodents, mice, squirrels, moths, moisture, etc. by keeping it in a dry, air-tight container like a new plastic or metal garbage can with a tight lid on it. Ideally, you should have a special place to keep your feed safe in a shed, garage, or enclosed area protected from weather elements. Rodents can transfer mites, and diseases to your chickens if left unchecked. Please note that rodents are pretty determined, and can chew through plastic garbage cans and wood feed bins, too. If you have rodent evidence, take steps to eradicate them.

Incorporating a daily maintenance routine for your chickens will keep your chicken coop, and outside pen clean on a daily basis. Once a quarter, or about every three months, I also do a thorough chicken coop and outside pen cleaning. First, I move my chickens to another area, or let them out in our yard with a watchful eye. I open up all the doors and windows, remove all of the bedding and check for dry rot, termites, rodent holes, etc. With a broom, I brush off my protective wire screens for dust and any cobwebs. I take my manure box out of the chicken coop, empty, hose down, and brush the wire top clean. I then let it dry in the sun throughly. I level the soil in my outside pen with a rake, and add a layer of fresh new sand or soil. I add new walking mulch around my chicken coop. I do a thorough "tending to" of my plants, vines, roses, and vegetation I have planted around my chicken coop. I never let weeds grow or trash of any kind, linger near my chicken coop.

In other words, I do a thorough quarterly cleaning of my chicken coop, and outside pen. I have a small flock of hens, if you have a large flock you might have to do extensive cleaning more often. When it comes to chickens, I can not stress enough that preventive cleaning and daily maintenance is your best philosophy to follow.

My dear friend, fellow gardener, and incredible ceramic and mosaic artist, Kathy LaFleur, would only have a chicken coop as befitting as the one in the above photo for her lucky chickens.

Kathy has transformed this aviary into a "palais de poulet" for her hens. On the top of her roof she added roof tiles, and planted beautiful thriving blooming succulents. On the front of her chicken coop she has painstakingly created two unique mosaics. There are more colorful mosaics and mirrors adorning the inside. Notice the two rows of vintage hen nesting boxes in the chicken coop background, and that she uses hay as her preferred bedding material. Hats off to you, Kathy, your creative chicken coop is so inspiring and amazing!

Here are a few FAQ questions from the previous "Backyard Chicken Coop" Series:

What are the best chicken breeds for a backyard chicken coop? It really is your preference, and what your purpose is for having chickens.

My preference for backyard "homesteaders" is the heavy-breed chickens that generally lay brown eggs. Some of my favorites are the Buff Orpingtons, Rhode Island Reds, Barred Rocks, Silver-Laced Wyndottes, and the Black Australorps. The heavy-breed chickens are more docile, friendly, approachable, and are great layers. Ameraucanas lay a pretty blue-green egg, and are a nice choice, too.

If you are pinched for space overall, you might consider the Bantam chicken varieties. They are a smaller chicken that lay large eggs relative to their size. Their space requirements are 1 sq ft/bird inside coop and 4 sq ft/bird outside chicken coop, quite a bit less than the heavy breed chickens at 1.5-2 sq ft/bird inside chicken coop, and 8-10 sq ft/bird for outside pen. Silkies, with their head plumes, and Cochins with their heavily feathered legs are Bantams. I call them designer chickens, pretty and showy, but can be skittish and a bit aloof. You might want to get an assortment of breeds for your backyard flock for variety and fun, but preferably all about the same age.

What is the best floor for chicken coops? Chickens require dry, draft free housing with good ventilation. Ideally you want your chicken coop, raised off of the ground, with sunlight able to access underneath. However, this is not always possible, especially if you have a modified structure or building.

A concrete floor is acceptable, but you must provide ample bedding and make sure it is not damp. A dry, wood floor is acceptable, again with ample bedding. If you are using plywood or wood in general, make sure it is untreated, no chemicals used in manufacturing it. My preference for bedding is pine litter, available at feed stores, because it is manageable and easy to compost with. Hay is another nice choice of bedding. Sometimes your chicken coop design lends itself better to one kind of bedding over another.

An entire wire floor is not ideal, because it can be hard on hen's legs and feet, and manure is dropping where? Wire mesh over the top of your chicken manure box is fine, but not for an entire floor. It also leaves your hen house rather exposed to rodents and varmints.

Where do I position my chicken coop in my backyard? Ideally, you want a quiet corner or spot on your property that is away from your house. It needs to be preferably on a high, well-drained area. You want ample air movement without a draft. Fresh air means fresh oxygen and movement to remove excess moisture, ammonia, and carbon dioxide which hens naturally give off.

It should be an area where the south sun reaches the chicken coop, and the outside pen for a large portion of the day. We have our chicken coop nestled by our orchard, and generally close to our storage shed, and composting area. It is an area slightly removed, but accessible. Fun with landscaping helps muffle sounds from your chickens, and integrates your chicken coop with the rest of your garden.

Chickens are active, and can be remain in their outside pen all day. Remember, if they are laying hens, they will need access to their chicken coop and nesting boxes during the daytime, too. At night time, it is best to tuck your chickens in, by bringing their feed bucket inside the chicken coop, and closing up their outside pen, doors, and windows till morning. Make sure your chickens have adequate ventilation with their chicken coop closed for the night.

When I let my chickens out in my yard, they like to wallow in the dirt. What are they doing? I call it a "dirt bath". They enjoy creating a little basin and laying down in the dirt, flinging dirt over themselves and their feathers. It is a way of cleaning themselves, cooling themselves, and relaxing.

I have a hen who insists on sitting on a "clutch" of eggs for long periods of time. What is she doing? She is brooding, or sitting on her eggs to hatch them. If you have a rooster in your flock, most likely you want fertilized eggs and/or chicks. If your hens sit on fertilized eggs for 21 days, embryos will develop and eventually hatch as chicks.

Even if you don't have a rooster in your flock, some hens will naturally sit or "brood" on their eggs, usually in the spring time. You have a choice to let your hen brood, or collect your eggs as usual. I usually collect my eggs so I know they have recently been laid, and because a hen can actually become emaciated by not moving, eating, or following her regular routine for days and sometimes weeks. Just because you remove all the eggs a hen is sitting on, does not necessarily mean she will stop brooding, too.

I have a neighbor or friend who wants to give me one of her hens that is being picked on in her own flock. Is that okay to do? I have generally had good experience in adopting hens into my flock. I would encourage you to adopt a hen, if the circumstance is right for you, and the hen is generally healthy and in good condition. There is a difference in a hen being pecked at, and a hen that is sick. Introducing an older hen into a younger hen flock usually works well. The adopted hen, can become the "mother hen", and show the others "the ropes".

Why are certain hens being picked on in my flock, and how can I prevent it, stop it? Hens naturally have a pecking order they establish within a flock. Sometimes a hen is perceived as weak, or picked on for no reason at all. If you introduce younger hens into your flock this can be a problem because they are smaller and younger, and unable to defend themselves. Generally speaking, if your flock of hens are the same age, you will have less of a "pecking order" problem. This can be hard as your flock size shifts and you might want to add new hens. Hens like routine, and when new hens are frequently introduced, it shifts the flock dynamics. Also, make sure you are not overcrowding your hens, check your sq ft/bird to chicken coop and sq ft/bird to outdoor pen ratio.

Sometimes it takes just a few days for all of the hens to settle in, and adjust. Sometimes they never adjust, and you might have to separate them in another pen or coop, or isolate them for a period of time, or ask a friend about adopting your hen.

Do you have more questions, comments, stories to share about your chickens and chicken coop?

"Hollywood Girls" Just Wanna Have Fun.

Chickens can be very sociable, and often want to be around all of the activity. In the photo, taken last summer, we are showing friends how to read a refractometer, an instrument grape growers use to test the level of sugar (or brix) in their grapes as harvest time approaches. J.Lo, one of our beloved chickens or "Hollywood Girls", just had to see what all the excitement was about. As I mentioned earlier in the week, chickens require little, but soon become a part of your life.

This past week, maybe I should have called it "Chicken Week", but instead I named this series an anatomy of the "Backyard Chicken Coop". This is by no means my last word on chickens, simply basic components of a chicken coop, and what is required to keep happy healthy chickens.

Once again, commons sense and good management will go a long way in properly caring for chickens. Get into a routine with your chickens. Keep their environment clean. Keep them protected.

In summary, this past week I wrote about the requirements for you and your potential chickens to co-exist in harmony. I outlined space guidelines for building a new chicken coop or modifying an existing structure. I wrote about hen nesting boxes, so important to laying hens and egg production. I covered the necessity of a roosting bar, and manure box in the chicken coop. I shared with you my method of keeping my chicken coop clean. I described the integral "outside pen" and how to keep predators out. I gave you some ideas on how you can customize your chicken coop with decorative details. I also hope that I give you some insight into the "joy" and "fun" of having chickens in your world.

Please feel free to share your chicken stories, creative coops, and chicken experience.