After a brief lull, the egg production is starting to increase slowly. There are plenty of eggs in the Long Barn for sale today! We expect production to slowly increase as the days get gradually longer after the winter solstice.
That's good news for everyone who loves farm-fresh organic eggs, and for those of us who look forward to more daylight hours!
Stop by the Prairie Crossing Long Barn today to purchase eggs for last-minute holiday baking! To purchase eggs, follow the posted instructions in the barn.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Hen House Helpers, hens and hawks -- oh my!
I have had the pleasure of volunteering at the Prairie Crossing Learning Farm for almost a year now. I was so excited for the opportunity to care for (but mostly pick up and pet) chickens! Since last December I have gone to the Prairie Crossing Learning Farm in Grayslake as much as I could to see those little balls of fluff, and every time I’ve been delighted with the squawking, energetic hens awaiting me.
Perhaps that’s why, only several weeks ago, I was especially surprised to walk in and spot a bird in flight in the henhouse! Somehow a clever hawk had made its way into the henhouse and was swooping over the poor chickens. My mother and I panicked and ran to get help.
Luckily two farmers were just next door. They ran into the Hen House and tried coaxing the hawk outside, but had no luck. As soon as the other helpers left to get more equipment, my mother opened a large side door and the hawk successfully flew out of the Hen House.
This experience demonstrates how in touch with animals we seem to have gotten since volunteering! Between watching them grow and (sort of) saving their little lives, volunteering at the Prairie Crossing Learning Farm has always been exciting.
Hen House Helper "D"
[Editor's note: Thank you to "D" and her parents for volunteering as Hen House Helpers! Thanks also for sharing this story with our blog readers.]
Perhaps that’s why, only several weeks ago, I was especially surprised to walk in and spot a bird in flight in the henhouse! Somehow a clever hawk had made its way into the henhouse and was swooping over the poor chickens. My mother and I panicked and ran to get help.
Luckily two farmers were just next door. They ran into the Hen House and tried coaxing the hawk outside, but had no luck. As soon as the other helpers left to get more equipment, my mother opened a large side door and the hawk successfully flew out of the Hen House.
This experience demonstrates how in touch with animals we seem to have gotten since volunteering! Between watching them grow and (sort of) saving their little lives, volunteering at the Prairie Crossing Learning Farm has always been exciting.
Hen House Helper "D"
[Editor's note: Thank you to "D" and her parents for volunteering as Hen House Helpers! Thanks also for sharing this story with our blog readers.]
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Where are the eggs?!
You may have noticed that the Learning Farm egg production is low right now -- I wish that this were not the case, but unfortunately it is. As with everything else we do, this situation presents a learning opportunity.
The Learning Farm chickens are heritage breed birds. They are selected for their friendliness and so best serve our core mission of education, but they are not known for prolific egg production. Egg-specialist breeds raised by commercial egg operations produce more eggs, but are more flighty and not as nice to work with, particularly for children.
We’ve had this current flock for about a year now. At this point in their life cycle they are molting -- they gradually lose their feathers and put much of their energy into re-growing them, which negatively impacts their egg production. The shorter days also cause their egg production to decrease. We are not currently providing supplemental lighting to increase egg production, but will begin to do so later this winter as daylight hours increase and the extra light supports the hens’ natural rhythm. Our flock management strategy is intended to respect the chickens, and allow them an opportunity to rest and rejuvenate during this time period.
Some egg operations butcher the hens when their egg production decreases like this. Other operations push egg production in ways that are stressful and shorten the hens’ life span – which doesn’t matter to them. Our chickens are used to provide learning and joy, and that extends beyond their ability to produce eggs. For example, 8th graders at the Prairie Crossing Charter School are tracking egg production data and analyzing the downward and upward trends. A volunteer group of parents and kids are doing an independent research project on food safety as it relates to egg operations, and contrasting the Learning Farm model with large commercial operations that have been reported about in the media. Younger kids love to pet the chickens whether they’re laying eggs or not.
The current plan is for the Learning Farm to maintain this flock until fall of 2012 – about one more year. I hope this information helps you to understand, to be patient, and to anticipate and enjoy fresh organic eggs that much more when production rises again. Thank you!
The Learning Farm chickens are heritage breed birds. They are selected for their friendliness and so best serve our core mission of education, but they are not known for prolific egg production. Egg-specialist breeds raised by commercial egg operations produce more eggs, but are more flighty and not as nice to work with, particularly for children.
We’ve had this current flock for about a year now. At this point in their life cycle they are molting -- they gradually lose their feathers and put much of their energy into re-growing them, which negatively impacts their egg production. The shorter days also cause their egg production to decrease. We are not currently providing supplemental lighting to increase egg production, but will begin to do so later this winter as daylight hours increase and the extra light supports the hens’ natural rhythm. Our flock management strategy is intended to respect the chickens, and allow them an opportunity to rest and rejuvenate during this time period.
Some egg operations butcher the hens when their egg production decreases like this. Other operations push egg production in ways that are stressful and shorten the hens’ life span – which doesn’t matter to them. Our chickens are used to provide learning and joy, and that extends beyond their ability to produce eggs. For example, 8th graders at the Prairie Crossing Charter School are tracking egg production data and analyzing the downward and upward trends. A volunteer group of parents and kids are doing an independent research project on food safety as it relates to egg operations, and contrasting the Learning Farm model with large commercial operations that have been reported about in the media. Younger kids love to pet the chickens whether they’re laying eggs or not.
The current plan is for the Learning Farm to maintain this flock until fall of 2012 – about one more year. I hope this information helps you to understand, to be patient, and to anticipate and enjoy fresh organic eggs that much more when production rises again. Thank you!
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