I've been ashamed to post any photos of our older hens for quite a while.  The mean rooster (who we've been eating all week) did a number on them before we took him out of the tractor, and they're only just now starting to regain their feathers.

I'm thrilled that they're moulting since it means they won't have to brave the cold of winter with bare backs.  But I miss the double dose of extra large eggs the older girls produce.  I guess we'll have to make do with pullet eggs for a few weeks!

As a side note, I also feel that I have to reassure you that we didn't de-beak our hens.  We bought them as adults from folks who didn't know any better --- which is a shame since it makes it harder for them to peck up rotten peppers and zucchinis.  These poor old hens have had a hard life!

In completely unrelated news, check out my article over at OnEarth.  And check out news about the EPA ruling that coal-fired power plants have to limit their carbon dioxide emissions!

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About us: Anna Hess and Mark Hamilton spent over a decade living self-sufficiently in the mountains of Virginia before moving north to start over from scratch in the foothills of Ohio. They've experimented with permaculture, no-till gardening, trailersteading, home-based microbusinesses and much more, writing about their adventures in both blogs and books.



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