{"id":139,"date":"2015-01-23T21:58:18","date_gmt":"2015-01-24T03:58:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.farmandfleet.com\/blog\/?p=139"},"modified":"2024-02-21T11:58:17","modified_gmt":"2024-02-21T17:58:17","slug":"hobby-farm-egg-production","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.farmandfleet.com\/blog\/hobby-farm-egg-production\/","title":{"rendered":"Hobby Farm Egg Production"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"hobby-farm-egg-production-is-growing-in-popularity\">Hobby farm egg production is growing in popularity.<\/h2>\n\n\n<p>Farm fresh, possibly even organic, eggs are quite desirable and for good reason! For the most part, the taste and overall quality of \u201chome grown\u201d eggs far surpasses what can be found in grocery stores. Whether you\u2019ve already got your flock of hens or you\u2019re considering whether backyard chickens are a good fit for you, the below article from Blain&#8217;s Farm &amp; Fleet will give you some valuable pointers on what it takes to produce great eggs on a hobby farm.<\/p>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"fuel-for-hens\">Fuel for Hens<\/h3>\n\n\n<p>Each egg contains approximately six grams of protein, six grams of fat, and is surrounded by its shell made of calcium. Hens need a good deal of nutrients to stay healthy and produce quality eggs. It is recommended that hens get fed 16%-18% protein and 3 1\/2% calcium feed. In addition to their&nbsp;<a href=\"\/poultry-feed\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">regular poultry feed,<\/a>&nbsp;hens also appreciate <a href=\"\/poultry-treats\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">healthy treats<\/a> on occasion and&nbsp;extra calcium supplements. We recommend working with your local veterinarian to ensure your chickens have the best diet and care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hens should also always have access to <a href=\"\/chicken-waterers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">fresh water<\/a>. Hens require a lot of water because more than half of an egg\u2019s volume is made up of water. So, be sure to keep your hens hydrated!<\/p>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"hen-protection\">Hen Protection<\/h3>\n\n\n<p>Hens can\u2019t concentrate on making top quality eggs if they have bigger things to worry about. It is important to keep your coop at a comfortable temperature. Insulate the <a href=\"\/chicken-coops\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">coop<\/a> and if needed, use fans in the summer and <a href=\"\/brooders-and-accessories\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">heaters<\/a> in the winter. Keep a close eye on your hens for any odd behavior or other signs of a health condition. Sickness can spread quickly in a coop and sick hens do not produce healthy eggs. Make sure your chicken coop and run are built to be as predator-proof as possible. Exactly how to predator-proof your coop will depend on where you live, so research how to keep out predators that are common to your area.<\/p>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"coop-conditions-for-egg-laying\">Coop Conditions for Egg Laying<\/h3>\n\n\n<p>Your coop and <a href=\"\/nesting-boxes-and-supplies\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">nesting boxes<\/a> must be cleaned frequently! This will keep both the hens and their eggs healthy. There should be one nesting box per four hens. The nesting boxes should be about two feet off the ground and deeply lined with absorbent bedding such as <a title=\"Pine Bedding\" href=\"https:\/\/www.farmandfleet.com\/s\/?keyword=pine%20bedding\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pine shaving<\/a>. These shavings absorb droppings and provide a soft place for eggs to land so they do not break.<\/p>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"collecting-eggs\">Collecting Eggs<\/h3>\n\n\n<p>Give your hens what they need and they will be wonderful egg producers. So much so that you will need to check their nesting boxes two to three times a day. It\u2019s important to collect the eggs quickly after they are laid to avoid contamination or breakage. Once you collect the eggs, you can give them a dry clean with <a title=\"Fine Sandpaper\" href=\"https:\/\/www.farmandfleet.com\/s\/?keyword=fine+sandpaper\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">fine-grit sandpaper,<\/a> and if needed, you can also give them a wet bath with a detergent approved for egg washing. Eggs can also be sanitized in a solution of 1 gallon of water with 1 tablespoon of bleach. If you collect any eggs that are cracked or just too dirty to be cleaned properly, don\u2019t hesitate to throw them out. There are more where those came from!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s no wonder hobby chicken farming is gaining in popularity&nbsp;so rapidly. Just follow the straight forward guidelines above, continue to research this&nbsp;great hobby, and reap the reward of having great tasting, fresh eggs that you know come from happy, healthy hens!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For more information and tips on raising barnyard birds, check out Blain&#8217;s Farm &amp; Fleet&#8217;s <a href=\"\/blog\/tag\/chickens-poultry\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Chickens &amp; Poultry Farming<\/a> blog.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hobby farm egg production is very popular and can be quite rewarding if you know how to do it right. See our guide on egg production best practices.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":70,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1506,1507],"tags":[1455],"content_type":[1373],"class_list":["post-139","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pets","category-farm-livestock","tag-chickens-poultry","content_type-article"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Hobby Farm Egg Production | Blain&#039;s Farm &amp; Fleet<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Hobby farm egg production is very popular and can be quite rewarding if you know how to do it right. 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