Second Try

Since the first try was an epic fail I took Leah's advice and whipped up some garlic and cayenne pepper scrambled eggs this morning.  They gobbled the right up!  SUCCESS!  (I did it while Ella was sleeping so she had no idea there was a real treat in the backyard that she was not going to get to have).

There was lots of 'elbowing' and pecking going on.  The eggs surprise lasted all of two minutes.

I knew that EffieGrace in all of her embarrassment would stand back and wait until everyone was finished and then go over to get the crumbs.  I called her over and gave her her very own little breakfast of nice warm doctored eggs.  And I waited while she ate, standing guard so no one else could eat them.  She finished all but a little bit.  That little bit she guarded with her life.   Another side to her came out...survival mode I think.

I am feeling like a good Chickie-Ma right about now.

Chicken Worming 101

I was reading the other day and the article said that it is good to worm your chickens ever so often just in case there is a problem. I have not seen any evidence of said little creatures but thought we should start out 'fresh' in the new year.  I read that you can buy medication but then you have to get rid of the eggs for awhile until the medication runs through the chicken....how do you figure that one out.  I chose to go the a-la-natural organic route.  I read that pumpkin seeds were good.  Then I read they were not.  So I chose grits, Cayenne pepper and garlic.  I also put ACV (apple cider vinegar) with the mother in their water.

This is what it looked like.  Big girls get the medium size plate.  Little girls (because there are 6 of them and only 4 Big Girls) get the plate on the right and EffieGrace (the chicken having the worst molt in the history of molts) gets her own special dish all by herself in the run.  She shies away from doing anything with the other girls.  I was so excited.  It would be worm in their bellies on this freezing cold morning and good for them too.  The Little Girls dived right in.  The Big Girls turned their noses up at it and EffieGrace ran the other way. EPIC FAIL!

Then I spied some cooked rice in the fridge.  I know they love rice so I mixed up more pepper and garlic.  The gobbled it up like white on rice! (LOL)

EffieGrace even joined the party!  I sure was glad to see that!

Here's the info that I read....Cayenne pepper is a great spice to use because the chicken have no heat receptors,  They love it.  I can even mix it in with their regular food and they will gobble it right up.  Worms can't stand the heat and they run out the back door (if you get my drift).  I will need to do it again in 10 days.

My only problem...Ella.  I'm guessing that I should really watch her because if she eats any of this stuff it won't be good.  I don't have to worry about her getting in the Little Girls run because the door is too low to the ground and she can't crawl under things anymore.  I will need to make sure that the Big Girls run is locked tight so she can't wiggle her way in there.

I'll give you a progress report in a day or two.