Our co-operative egg farm, now known as Eastside Egg Co-operative, has been up and running for about a month now. We took delivery of 50 fine yearling Barred Rocks the day before summer Solstice, and the rest is hen-story.
The coop seems to be working just fine. There are some kinks to work out, some wheels to install, and so on, but for now it is doing what it is supposed to.
Last week was our first week at a farmers market to sell our modest surplus of eggs. We sold out!
I’ve been taking a lot of photos—click on the above and below images to see more. Someday we might even write about this experience more extensively, but right now it’s high summer and the chickens are laying and the business is booming, so there’s more doing than there is writing about doing.
Enjoy the photos and come visit sometime.
Best
Patrick
What market are you selling them at?
just beautiful.
phil—last week it was Lents International, near Zenger at 92nd and Foster. We’re hoping to spread it around a little bit since we’ve had interest from various quarters. send an email (egghead@henwaller.com) if you want to get on our mailing list.
todd—thanks!
~patrick
Looks amazing. And I think life is good when there’s so much doing that there’s hardly any time to write about it.
You guys putting the chickens away at night? Do you have any watch-animals out with them during the day? We live in inner NE PDX and just lost four chickens to a raccoon in the broad daylight while they were roaming in the yard.
Nat—the chickens get locked up tight at night, and they are guarded by an electric fence at all times. My biggest worry is hawks.
I would advise keeping the chickens in confinement of some kind—even if it’s just a run enclosed by horse fencing. reduces the chances of undue population reduction.
Hi Patrick,
Steve and I have been taking pictures of the chickens too. Some of them are here: http://flickr.com/photos/psymonetta/tags/chickens/
and some others are here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/83312349@N00/
~ Cora
Great shots, guys! Cora, I checked out some of your Flickr sets as well, some nice images on there.
Cheers,
Tommy