Most of you already know that I have chooks but what you may not know is that my girls are allowed to range freely 100% of the time.... After all of the devastation I've had with foxes in the past I decided to 'teach' (in a fashion) my girls to roost up high and ever since I've not lost a single 1 to the dreaded fox... I love seeing them too-ing and fro-ing in amongst my garden as they scratch about helping with the weeding, adding a little fertilizer (poop) as they go...
The 1 disadvantage to having my girls so 'free' is that they often change their laying spots... This morning while I was out picking some lemons I came across a mother load of eggs, 42 to be exact, all underneath an old kerosene fridge in the garden.... 
So after testing them, to my surprise they were all fine and with that said are destined to be added to a batch of lemon butter this afternoon.... Yumm-o!!!!
So after testing them, to my surprise they were all fine and with that said are destined to be added to a batch of lemon butter this afternoon.... Yumm-o!!!!I'd love to have a go at mandarin butter/curd too, have you ever tried it before? What's a good recipe?? I was thinking of using my normal lemon butter/curd recipe and just substituting the lemon juice for mandarin juice, what do you think???
On another note, a couple of weeks back we welcomed yet another cat to our ever increasing tribe (now totaling 7, OMG!!!).....
Millie has claimed this little girl and so far so good she's settling in just fine... :)
Yum; love home "grown" eggs. Thats a pretty decent stash! Not sure re the mandarin curd, I guess you can only try :-)
ReplyDeletehoo boy - that is a secret treasure trove! Imagine what she thought when she came back each day! Good luck with all that lemon butter - no advice from here sorry - never made it. In fact was suprised to see it must have eggs in it!
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That last photo is THE most adorable photo ever!!! Let us know how you go making mandarin curd, sounds interesting!
ReplyDeleteMillie's new friend is beautiful! Looks just like one of my fur-kids. ;)
ReplyDeleteI had been contemplating a similar thing with mandarins too. I hope it turns out well and would love to hear about it.
ReplyDeleteoh and I forgot - how did you teach them to roost up high???
ReplyDeleteWow what a great load of eggs! Maybe you can teach your girls to go looking for eggs like an easter egg hunt. I love Miss Millie's little cardigan too, so cute. The kitten looks very well loved too, lol! I am sure the mandarin butter will taste just delicious. I try and not make lemon butter as I am sure I would eat it all.
ReplyDeleteHi Jodie,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you found the eggs before it was too late(yuck). I would try a small batch of mandarin curd and maybe a small batch of mandarin and lemon curd. Just to see how they go before making a big commitment.
Cheers,
Tracy
Hehehe another cat. We have 7 too. They are fine unless they are trying to get into the kitchen....
ReplyDeleteYour little one is growing up so fast; it doesn't seem that long ago you were expecting her!
Our chooks are the same - 100% free range unless we are trying to get particular chickens, then we lock up the rooster with the matching hens and incubate the eggs. We also have two female geese running about; and two Jack Russell pups - they seem to help in regards to foxes. Having the little lambs near the house does lure the foxes more. The four year old was upset to spot a fox near the lambs last week so we all went over the fence and hunted it. Didn't find it but the kids had fun.
Lemon butter is yummy.
Oh my that photo of your daughter with the tiny kitten is soooo sweet.. Looks like kitty is being loved to death.
ReplyDeleteInteresting about your chooks roosting up high... I let mine out to free range during the day & I lock them in of an evening.
Hahaha -- that must be some cat to love to be squeezed like that -- what a cute picture! I love reading about your farm adventures. I would have no idea how to teach a hen to roost up high LOL!
ReplyDeleteI remember when I was younger living at home Mum would send us out to get the eggs and if we weren't getting many and she knew they were laying we would have to go hunting in the long marshmellow grass and paterson's curse and we would find nests just like that tucked in hidden well with a pile of egss in it.........
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