Down in the barnyard along with the 2 goats and 2 two ponies and 2 horses (starting to sound rather ark-ish) we now have Chickens. We have fourteen Chickens.
The children (that would be our two youngest, Rosa is 8 and Max III is 10) promised they would get up early and take care of them so we got them.
Production
Wyandottes, Orpingtons, Sexlinks, Delawares and Araucanas
Of course we want eggs. Being the family expert on such things I knew what we needed. I got only hens.
How can you tell that you are getting only hens? How do you tell a girl-chick from a boy-chick (sound sort of Dr. Zhivago-ish…). What are you supposed to check when you get your little fuzzy paint spots, those peeping little darlings? Well Tom at the San Marcos Feed Store up the road said they were hens and he’s been doing this “chick thing” for many years. There must be a “wise old feed store guy” system.
Sure, there is a system. There is.
Cock- a doodle…huh??
His name is Rooster Cogburn (see “True Grit”). He is the pride of the Contreras Kids Hen House and if you listen carefully at about 15 minutes before the sun actually rises you will hear him welcoming the new day.
Cogburn may just be the most handsome fella ever to peck his way out of an egg in New Mexico. He sure thinks so!
They are all now about 19 weeks of age and providing a variety of services.
They love to eat what we do not (old salad, rice, stale bread), we get our early wake up call each morning and we are getting fresh organic eggs for the Hacienda breakfast table and for our own. That lovely, feathery free range girl’s club is working each day to give us all a real treat.
As the Santa Fe mornings grow chillier it gets a little harder for the kids to motivate for the school morning routine but there is treasure out there…
Biscuits are coming out of the oven. Coffee is ready.
Max and Rosa will be up early with their baskets to collect them.
How do you like your eggs?
Tags: bed-and-breakfast, New Mexico, santa fe, santa fe kids, travel
The eggs were perfect as were the coffee, breads, potatoes and fruit,everything -late arrival snack a plus. The room was cozy with a kiva fire and the views from our outside patio,spectacular.
Thanks for the serenity and beauty you provided. It was well worth the drive.
Joe and Julianne Fletcher
11/2009