Getting Started with My Chicken Project
Alright, so I finally decided to get some chickens in Tales of the Shire. Wanted fresh eggs, obviously, but had zero clue what I was doing at first. Went down to the market feeling kinda dumb, just picked up a couple of sleepy-looking hens and this tiny coop. Figured, how hard could it be? Spoiler: had to learn the hard way.
Messing Up the Feeding Big Time
First mistake? Thinking any old feed would do. Grabbed the cheapest bag off the shelf – smelled kinda dusty. Fed it to them for two days straight. Result? Absolute disaster. Hens looked bored. Eggs? Maybe one, small, kinda wrinkly thing. Worse, it went bad real quick. Smelled awful. Knew I messed up.
- Bad Feed Choice: Cheap stuff equals sad chickens equals yucky eggs.
- Ignored Storage: Just dumped the eggs in a warm corner. Big no-no.
- Not Paying Attention: Didn’t notice the hens barely pecking at their food.
The Turnaround with Better Feed
Okay, time to fix my mess. Dumped the dusty feed – good riddance. Asked around a bit. Found this slightly pricier grain mix the old farmer guy swore by. Had little seeds and bits of dried veggies in it. Looked way more interesting. Brought it home, poured some in their little trough thing. The difference was insane.
Hens went crazy! Pecking like maniacs, clucking happily. Within a day, they seemed perkier. Coins started clicking – better food equals happier chickens. Simple, right? Shoulda started there.
Cracking the Egg Care Puzzle
Now for the eggs. Getting those fresh beauties without them spoiling fast became my next headache. Tried a few things:
- Cool is Key: Stuck the eggs in a clay pot in the coolest corner of my hut. Night and day difference! Didn’t go bad nearly as fast.
- Collect Fast: Started checking that nesting box twice a day, like clockwork. Fresher eggs last longer. Simple.
- Gentle Handling: Stopped just tossing them into a basket. Got careful. Less cracked shells meant less wasted eggs.
Started seeing nice, big eggs almost daily. Shells felt smooth and sturdy. Used one straight away for breakfast – yolk was super bright yellow. Tasted amazing. Felt like a win!
What Works for Me Now
So, here’s my simple plan after all that trial and error:
- Buy the Better Feed: Forget the dusty junk. Spend a bit more, get the good stuff with the seeds and bits.
- Store Eggs Cool ASAP: That clay pot in the cool spot? Non-negotiable.
- Check for Eggs All the Time: Seriously, twice a day minimum. Catch them fresh.
- Keep the Coop Clean-ish: Shovel out the worst mess regularly. Chickens hate being dirty.
It ain’t rocket science, but man, it took wasting some feed and having stinky eggs to get it right. Now my mornings usually start with finding a couple of nice eggs. Makes tending those grumpy birds totally worth it.