Rain Equals Mud . Chickens Hate Mud . TKG Take Ten

And the crowing never stops!

‘Hi, there this is Cecilia from The Kitchens Garden in Central Illinois. All this month all the TKG Take Ten farm videos will be free for all. You are honorary Tenners for this month. Yay! In December you and I will be off to Melbourne, Australia, (yes - we travel frequently; I have gardens to tend) so I want you to be topped up on farm sounds before we hit the urban kitchens garden trail.’

Here we have the layers. The hens. The chooks. The chickens. There are so many of these free range birds that I have no idea how many there are.

Can you see the fresh spread of leaves and wood chips? Inside? The chickens will scratch these all together with their muddy little feet and have a thoroughly lovely time.

Chickens do not like rain, or mud, or snow. They are not fans of inclement weather. So, today they are hanging close to home. Perfect for a video.

These chickens lay a range of coloured eggs. Pale green, olive green, deep brown and light brown, white, one has a pale blue coloured shell. The colour of the eggs can be determined by the chicken’s ear lobes, white eggs come from chickens with white ear lobes, brown from brown. Feathers too. The brown chickens lay a range of brown eggs and the white chickens lay white eggs. However this does not mean that green laying eggs have green earlobes or green feathers! Genetics, age, health and also diet can influence egg colour.

Contrary to popular opinion brown eggs are not better for you. The colour of the egg makes no difference. It is the diet and environment that will improve the nutritional value of the egg. Eggs from hens who have plenty of sunlight, free range greens, and varied grains will have a higher nutritional profile. The eggs are generally higher in omega-3 fatty acids, plus Vitamins A and E. So - find your farmer.

The yolk is usually a good indication of what a chicken has been eating. The yolk and shell shows us how healthy a bird is. A deep yellow - bordering on orange - yolk is perfect. The fresher the egg the plumper the yolk and the more the white binds together. If it is runny and watery the egg is old.

If you feed the chickens dried red chili you will get bright orange egg yolks - I do this when I am making a special pasta - and the chili has some health benefits for your flock. Chickens have fewer taste buds and no receptors for spice so they can eat capsaicin, no problem. (Chickens have 24 taste buds compared to a young humans 9,000). Interesting right?

Have a good one.

See you Thursday!

Celi

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