Often I get questions about our chickens. I don’t recall the day we made the decision to have chickens. When we were living temporarily in a double wide trailer while restoring Bella Terra (that’s a complete story in itself!), I remember having 2 toddlers, a newborn, a puppy and baby chicks. Crazy times.

A daily trip to the hen house is restorative for me. The girls are always happy to see me!

Their quarters are designed for up to 25 chickens. If you missed my previous post on the hen house, click here.

Here are some questions I get asked about our having chickens:

How long do fresh eggs keep?

When an egg first comes out, it is covered in a wet coating and then dries within seconds. This invisible coating is called the “bloom” and works to keep air and bacteria from seeping through the pores of the shell.

In the United States, commercial egg growers are required to wash their eggs, which then requires refrigeration. Unfortunately, washing off the bloom accelerates the aging of the egg.

I never wash our eggs and if I do, it is just before I use them. I have read that an unwashed egg can last up to a year!

How do you tell if an egg is old?

Gently drop an egg into a glass of water. If an egg sits flat on the bottom of the glass, it is fresh egg. If the egg floats, it may still be good but it is definitely an older egg. As it continues to age, more air enters the shell and it will float at a steeper angle. But why eat an old egg if you can use a fresh one?

Why are hard-boiled fresh eggs hard to peel?

As an egg ages, air gets in through the pores on the shell. The air forms a pocket between the members and the shell making it easier to peel. Older eggs are best hardboiled.

Does each chicken lay an egg every day?

First, the female chicken, a hen, will lay eggs. It depends on the breed as some hens lay more eggs than others. Typically, a hen will lay only one egg per day but can also skip days. The average hen will lay approximately 300 eggs per year. Chickens require a certain amount of light per day in order to lay. Therefore, hens typically lay more eggs in the spring and summer.

Does a female (hen) need a male (rooster) in order to lay an egg?

No, the female lays eggs regardless. The hen does need a rooster if she is laying a fertilized egg = baby chicks.

Why don’t you have any roosters?

The City of Phoenix does not allow male poultry within the City limits. Since it is rather difficult to determine the sex of a baby chick, we have had roosters. Typically we discover a rooster when a neighbor calls to complain about the crowing.

Do roosters only crow in the morning? No, they tend to crow all the time.

Is there really a pecking order? Yes, the chickens do determine their own hierarchy of status.

Why do you have different colored eggs?

The color of the egg is based on the breed of chicken. We have white, brown, tan, blue and green egg layers. But like people, we may be different colors on the outside but the inside of the egg is the same.

Do you let your chickens free range?

Yes, with some supervision. We keep our dogs inside while the chickens roam the yard. Since we have birds of prey (hawks, owls, etc.) we let them stay outside but for a shorter period of time.

Do you eat your chickens?

No, we do not. Once the children named the hens, it was hard to think about eating Fluffy or Spotty.

What do chickens eat?

We provide them with scratch and crumble. With scratch, they use their toes to mix up litter or scrape the ground in search of various seeds, greens, grit, or insects to eat. Spreading scratch grains (cracked, rolled, or whole grains such as corn, barley, oats, or wheat) encourages this behavior. Crumble is their actual food that provides the nutrients they need.

Do you give your chickens treats?  

Yes, they get fresh greens from the garden, any healthy kitchen scraps and I spoil them with dried black soldier fly larvae~~they LOVE this!

I also add fresh herbs and flowers to their nesting boxes. Not only does it look pretty and smell nice, while keeping the bugs out. Who wouldn’t want to lay an egg in a nest of rose petals?

I hope you enjoyed this information on chickens and eggs!

August is like the Sunday of Summer…..unknown

I am finally back in town.  As much as I love to travel, transitioning back home is a bit of work. Luggage to unpack, bills to pay, dead plants to discard, laundry to do~~in addition to the mental shift of getting back into the swing of things.

My latest adventure was to Washington, D.C. where I helped settle my oldest in his very first post-college apartment. He starts his new job soon and is embarking on a wonderful journey in our nation’s capital. His apartment is in a fabulous, hip section of the Navy Yard, close to the Metro and numerous restaurants.

But he needed everything-sofa, bed, dresser, desk, television console, coffee table, kitchen island, and assorted 1st apartment things.  Thankfully, IKEA is an affordable option and was only 30 minutes away.  However, we opted to assembly everything ourselves. What were we thinking? Who knew a sectional sofa came in so many pieces?

Here is the apartment on Day 5~~the good news is that we (my son, his roommate, and his mother) worked well together and got it finished! #loveIkea #hateIkea #exhausted

We are experiencing exciting weather in Phoenix.  It is our monsoon season= rain/wind/flooding.  We’ve also had a few haboobs ~~ intense dust storms.  Bella Terra is looking quite tired this time of year due to the heat and the unpredictable weather. The minute the yard is picked up and cleared, another storm blows through.

The wind has been so strong that part of the hen house room came off and a garden obelisk toppled over.

My middle daughter has moved back home and is living in the guest cottage for her last year in college. She surprised us (long story) with this sweet little bundle.  Meet Hemingway. He has his own Instagram account….Hemingway, the GSD. (German Shepherd dog).  After our initial shock, it’s hard not to love him. #puppylove

My youngest daughter has already started her senior year in high school.  We are knee-deep in the college application process….sigh.

August is one of those months.  It’s part of summer but no more summer vacations.  Routines and schedules are back.  Traveling is over.  But it’s too hot here to really do anything exciting. Temperatures will not cool down for another month or so.

I’ve been reading ALOT and must share these two books with you.  They are part of a trilogy but I haven’t gotten to the 3rd book yet.  Recommended to me by my friend, Rick (who always has the best book suggestions), I cannot put this series down.  If you like fast paced, espionage thrillers, these are a must read.

About the author.

Jason Matthews is a retired office of the CIA’s Operations Directorate.  Over a thirty-three-year career he served in multiple overseas locations and engaged in clandestine collection of national security intelligence, specializing in denied-area operations.  Matthews conducted recruitment operations against Soviet-East European, East Asian, Middle Eastern, and Caribbean targets. As Chief in various CIA Stations, he collaborated with foreign partners in counterproliferation and counterterrorism operations.

When the children were little, the henhouse was a living school.  Many of life’s lessons were experienced here~~the birth and death of chickens, the pecking order and bullying, healthy vs. sick chickens, the biology of the daily egg laying, hens vs. roosters, reproduction, bug infestation, responsibility and the care and keeping of something other than yourself.

The henhouse aka the poultry palace is located next to the garden.  Any unused greens or vegetables are readily consumed by our chickens. Attached to the back of the hen house is approximately 400 sq. feet of secured, shaded space to free range.

Henhouses need appropriate ventilation due to the ammonia released with chicken poop. We have 3 doors, 4 windows and the eaves have screened circular holes, allowing for plenty of fresh air.

It was important to me for this structure to be attractive.  The decorative chickens on the front door are made from a composite poly-resin stepping stones.  My husband cut the “chicken on a nest” out with a jigsaw and then mounted them on the entry door.

The  rooster decoration above the front door adds a bit of whimsy.

I designed this 6′ x 9′ structure to house both young, mature and ailing chickens.  The mirror layout, both in the henhouse and the outdoor space, allows me to separate the hens if necessary.  There is a pecking order and being hen-pecked is not fun.  Typically the older, bigger chickens will dominate the younger ones.  When we introduce new chickens to the flock, we separate them until they are the same size as the existing chickens.

Upon entering, the center section is allocated for feed, hay, and egg collection. There are 4 drop down panels to gather eggs from 8 collection boxes.

Miscellaneous items are stored in this cute box hanging on the wall.

I add dried herbs to the hay in the laying boxes  This Chicken Confetti is made by one of my favorite bloggers, Lisa from Fresh Eggs Daily.  Not only is it pretty but helps relax the chickens and repels bugs. Another chicken favorite is Grubblies~~think of it as treats for the hens.  This dried black fly larvae provides protein and the chickens LOVE it!

The other side of the nesting boxes (access from the side doors) looks like this.  At night the chickens roost on the bar located below the boxes. The small door near the floor allows the chickens to come in at night and roam freely in the outdoor area during the day.

Even though we live in the 5th largest city in the U.S., our neighborhood has foxes, coyotes, owls and other wildlife.  The small black box attached to the sign below, emits 2 red blinking lights at night.   These solar Nite Guard devices frighten predator animals away.  We have several of these placed around the henhouse.  They seem to work ~~so far, so good.

Having chickens (and one duck) provides us with many blessings.   For me, this is my chicken church.  When I feel stressed or overwhelmed, a trip to the henhouse is a bit of a therapy session.  The hens are always happy to see me.  A handful of Grubblies and I am their best friend.  Opening the door to the nesting box generally provides me a gift of a warm, freshly laid egg.  It is the simpleness of it all.  The smell of hay, the gentle clucking sounds….our henhouse and its residents are a gift that keeps on giving.

If you are considering your own flock, I strongly recommend it.  Small hen houses are readily available and a few chickens can provide your family with food, valuable lessons and a restorative place for you.

The love of gardening is a seed once sown never dies.   Gertrude Jekyll

Someone recently asked me if gardening takes a great deal of time…and I’ve been pondering the question ever since.

I’ve been gardening for as long as I can remember.   Having a garden was a way to teach my children to understand food doesn’t just appear on a styrofoam tray.  Growing something from start to finish takes time, love and is often unpredictable.  Many nights we would forage the garden to prepare dinner.   My two (now adult) children will be mortified that I am posting this picture of them!  Gardening became a family affair.

The hardest part of gardening is GETTING STARTED. I recall feeling intimidated and overwhelmed at first. But it’s really not hard and ANYONE can do it.  Plants need 3 things~~food, water and light.

You can start a garden in virtually any container or, if you love it as much as I do, you can set aside a designated area.  My garden inspiration was from Susan Branch’s The Summer Book. If you are not familiar with Susan Branch, her books are filled with sweet artwork, stories and recipes.

After years of loosey- goosey gardening, I decided to get serious.  I purchased a garden organizer, My Green Thumb by Gail Holmen….a big binder that helped walk me through the planning process. In digging through my notes, I found my original drawing for the garden layout.

We designated a 16′ x 20′ fenced space adjacent to the hen house (a great place to toss excess greens). In designing our garden, I wanted raised bed planters for ease of planting and harvesting~~less strain on my back.  There are 5 planters in total made of concrete block, topped with a brick edge.

The garden gate entrance has a rebar arch with grape vines growing above.

Depending on the time of year, the PVC pipe arches support bird netting, shade cloth or plastic covers. By inserting a 12″ rebar post into the ground, you can bend the PVC pipes to whatever size or height you need and slip it over the rebar.

Due to the high heat in Phoenix, a watering system is critical. Alternately, there are drains in each raised planter so the beds don’t get water logged.

Once the infrastructure of the garden was established, then soil was added.  We compost all our natural scraps but sometimes we need to amend with commercial garden soil. Some people don’t turn their soil, but I do ~~this time I found an old garden glove, a plastic pot and previous plastic planting markers buried beneath the surface. Go figure.

It takes a ruthless spirit to yank older plants to make room for a new crop.

Depending on the time of year, I use a combination of seeds and starter plants.  Though seeds are less expensive, they do require a bit more maintenance (thinning).  Radishes and carrots I grow from seeds; tomatoes from starter plants.

If your plants are root-bound, make sure you break the ball apart and give the roots a fighting chance to spread out. The roots on this plants were so congested that I had to use a knife to loosen them.

Please make sure to take into account the lighting available to your garden.  It took me a few years to figure out the best raised planter to raise tomatoes because they require full sun.

I generally try a new plant or variety each year.  This planting season I focused on heirloom tomatoes. Whitfill Nursery has a great selection.

For larger plants, cages or support structures are very helpful. I purchased these resusable cages years ago from Burpee. By the end of the season, you won’t even see the cages! Plus they collapse for storing.

It’s important to select the right plants for the right time of year.  Consult your local cooperative extension or nursery to determine your growing zone, plant selection and whether to plant seeds or starters.

Once your garden is started, maintaining it is fun.  For me, I spend a few hours at the beginning of a new growing season, but for the most part, it doesn’t require much work.  My garden angel takes care of the rest!

And if you think you cannot grow anything and you have a black thumb, see the picture below.  This is red lettuce, growing in my gravel path.  No water, not much direct light and it’s growing all by itself!

Gardening for me, is a form of relaxation.  When my hands are in the dirt, my mind is quiet and calm.  I’m not thinking of ANYTHING else.  Connecting with the earth is always good for the soul.  So if you have the desire to garden, whether it be in a small container or a plot in your yard, take the leap.  There is such satisfaction in picking your own vegetables, fruit or flowers.

Happy Gardening!

P.S. My garden shoes are Sloggers~~best gift ever from my friend, Janie! They are SO comfortable too.

In the Spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours. Mark Twain

As I watch the effects of snow storms, nor’easters and bomb cyclones in other parts of the country, I am grateful to live in an area with a more mild winter.  Though I do miss the stillness and peace a new fallen snow brings, I remember not liking the variations in weather between winter and spring.

Here at Bella Terra, we are just now noticing the changes that spring brings. Our morning temperatures are out of the 30s and into the 40s.  Duck dating has arrived at our pool.

Last week there were 6 gorgeous mallards vying for the lone female’s attention.  She appears to have settled on the last two.  Who will be the lucky guy?  Her suitor will stay by her side for the next few months.  Soon she will bring her little ones, teaching them how to swim here.

When I walked into our living room yesterday morning, I noticed how the eastern light has changed.  Bathed in softness, the subtle difference is a reminder that spring is on its way.

There is evidence of spring in the yard.  Stretching along the eastern side of our property, we planted Lady Banks Roses, R. Banksiae Lutea.  These roses can vigorously grow to a height of 25 feet and produces pale to deep yellow flowers.  It is not strongly perfumed and the wood is almost thornless. This makes the perfect privacy fence.

Just this week, we are seeing the very first of its blossoms. These roses only bloom once a year, but shortly will provide a stunning wall of yellow.

In the orchard, it is nearly time to glean all the citrus fruit from the tree.  We are prodded to do so when we start seeing the early blossoms for the next cycle of fruit.

The apple and apricot trees are budding and even though I am tempted to cut these gorgeous branches to display inside, I leave them alone and let nature takes its course.

Due to our extreme summer heat, I have only had success in growing Anna apples, which will be ready to pick in June.

The apricot tree is in its 3rd year of production, so I am hoping for a great yield this year. Look at how delicate these blooms are!

One of our peach trees is just starting to show spring growth, due to its “less sun” placement in the yard.

Even the chickens are sensing the change in season.  Our Araucanas have started laying their blue-green eggs again.  Chickens need 14 hours of daylight in order to have egg production.  Some chicken breeds lay more than eggs others.

In front of the guest cottage, the first jonquil has shown its beautiful trumpet.  A member of the daffodil family, the jonquil has six outer petals and slender, hollow foliage.

The flower beds in the front of the house are just starting to come to life. Here the lavender flowers are showing off.

March 20th is the official start of Spring, only 2 weeks away.  I am looking forward to a spring of hope and renewal, and more time to enjoy the great outdoors.

A year ago today, I sent my first blog post of Life at Bella Terra.  It was an intimidating moment, because I thought “who would ever want to read this?”  I don’t consider myself a very good writer and I’m really trying to improve upon that.  But your words of encouragement have brought me back to the computer to post again and again.  If it wasn’t for your kindness and support, it would have been easy to just quit.  Thank you for your loyalty and feedback and comments. Truly. From the bottom of my heart.

Each time I send out an email letting you know I’ve created a new post, I am praying you find it interesting, enlightening or even motivating.  I try to share a small piece of loveliness in hopes that I can brighten your day. As I look out into the world, I believe we each need to find sources of joy and create our own beauty.  Whether it be feeling the warmth from a freshly picked tomato, or the scent of a homegrown flower, these moments of perfection can only help feed the soul.

Blogging for me, is a chance to stop and capture a sliver of time, an exquisite photo or a recipe that bursts with flavor. Plus it is forcing me to attack those cluttered corners of the house or undone projects while showing you my progress. But I can honestly say, I am still a long way from feeling confident about creatively illustrating that to you. But I will keep trying.

So here is a look back at the year and some of my favorite photos and posts.

My very first blog post was about the New York Times Bestselling author, Rhys Bowen and the fundraising English tea we had here at Bella Terra.

And other events we happily hosted here…..

Recipes shared…..

My Renovations and Restorations….

Travel and leisure…..

Decorating and Design…

The holidays….

Cleaning, Organizing, and Updating…

Sharing our home and yard….

My attempt at art….

Flower arranging..

Our pets…

And a few DIYs….

My online store….

There is still so much to learn, especially better photography, writing and getting my watermarks the same size on every photo.  So thank you again for following me and sharing my blog with others.

PLEASE send in your comments~~What area of interest would you like for me to expand? What are your favorite topics? How often should I post (trying to do a maximum of twice per week)? What can I do to be better for you?  My goals for the next year are to do a contest or giveaway and conduct a real survey into your likes and interests.

Here’s to one year and onto the next!! I couldn’t have done it without you.

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