OPERATION DUCK RESCUE
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Duck eggs now available. Very limited supply!
Duck eggs are nutritionally superior to chicken eggs. The taste is not much different and the eggs are larger. They are excellent for eating, especially for baking! You can check out this article comparing duck eggs with chicken eggs. For nutrition facts, see this page. If you'd like to try some, you can get a 6-pack for $2.50 or a full dozen for $5.00 Please keep in mind there may be a slight wait as we only have 3 laying hens right now who are REALLY good at hiding eggs! It's like a treasure hunt every day!
Farm Fresh Free-Range Eggs!
We currently house a flock of different varieties that provide us with a colorful range of eggs including white, brown, rose and speckled. Over 76% of our eggs are extra large and jumbo size by weight. Only 6% of the eggs surveyed were less than large (by USDA standards).
Our hens are 100% cage free. They reside in the hen house (or "Poultry Palace"), a very large barn converted to provide them a peaceful and comfortable place to lay their eggs. The hen house has 5 windows that provides natural light from 3 directions and a large door that we open every morning (weather permitting), allowing the girls to free range as they desire. At night the door is closed and secured after a hen "head" count to ensure all of the ladies are safe and secure from predators.
Our hens receive free-choice feed specially formulated for their dietary needs. We also provide natural calcium supplementation (also free choice) along with natural grit, fresh (local) whole grains and all the spring water they can drink! This is in addition to whatever goodies they find while foraging on the farm landscape as they desire.
Our eggs are collected several times a day and promptly refrigerated to ensure maximize freshness and safety. Our egg cartons made of 100% recycled plastic and are themselves 100% recyclable. They are perforated in the center allowing customers to buy by the half or whole dozens! Half dozen/$1.50 or Dozen/$2.50
Baby Chicks arrived 3/21/2011
We ordered our 75 chicks (all females) from McMurray Hatchery. We used 3 five foot plastic wading pools as brooders. We made "walls" using hardware cloth and draped sheets around to protect them from drafts. We then suspended the brooder lights from chains, each using a 250 watt red heat bulb. We elected pine shavings over newspaper as the paper was so slippery and we didn't want any leg injuries.
These girls should begin laying in August or September. We have 25 Buff Minorcas that will lay white eggs. We also ordered 25 assorted chicks that will lay brown eggs (a mix of several breeds) and finally 25 rainbow layers (an assortment that will lay a variety of colors from white, brown, speckle, blue, rose and/or green!) We won't know the exact breeds until the chicks get a bit bigger and start getting their adult feathers.
These girls should begin laying in August or September. We have 25 Buff Minorcas that will lay white eggs. We also ordered 25 assorted chicks that will lay brown eggs (a mix of several breeds) and finally 25 rainbow layers (an assortment that will lay a variety of colors from white, brown, speckle, blue, rose and/or green!) We won't know the exact breeds until the chicks get a bit bigger and start getting their adult feathers.
Our Ducks have arrived!
Eight Rouen ducklings, about three months old, joined the farm on November 16, 2010. They are a mix of drakes and hens who were hatched by a local family in Frazer, Montana.
Rouen drakes have the beautiful iridescent green heads just like it's wild cousin, the Mallard. The females are light brown dabbling.
Update 2/5/2011 We can see colors! We now know we have 3 hens and 5 drakes! The drakes have the beautiful green head feathers! I hope this spring we will see some ducklings!
Update 4/25/11 If their activity is any indication, we should be seeing ducklings within the next month or two!
Update 7/24/2011 Ducklings have hatched! There are six in all! One is a solid yellow which isn't characteristic of rouens. We aren't sure but think a wild drake may have mated with one of our hens. The hen has rejected this one so we are hand raising him in a brooder until he is big enough to join the flock and survive.
Rouen drakes have the beautiful iridescent green heads just like it's wild cousin, the Mallard. The females are light brown dabbling.
Update 2/5/2011 We can see colors! We now know we have 3 hens and 5 drakes! The drakes have the beautiful green head feathers! I hope this spring we will see some ducklings!
Update 4/25/11 If their activity is any indication, we should be seeing ducklings within the next month or two!
Update 7/24/2011 Ducklings have hatched! There are six in all! One is a solid yellow which isn't characteristic of rouens. We aren't sure but think a wild drake may have mated with one of our hens. The hen has rejected this one so we are hand raising him in a brooder until he is big enough to join the flock and survive.
