The Greening of Gavin

When Your Old Chickens Stop Laying. What Next?

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So what happens when your old chickens stop laying eggs?  Is it time for the pot, or do you let them retire gracefully and let them continue to be of service in the garden?

Well my girls just retire gracefully, and I add in new point of lay chickens to the flock.  The older ones have been such good service to our family, we have let the four of them become matriarchs, and guide a new generations.

This is exactly what I did today on my day off!

Ben and I drove up to the Macedon Emu Farm to pick up four point-of-lay hens.  Yes, they sell chickens at the Emu Farm.

Macedon Emu Farm

Luckily we didn’t take home one of these birds!  Big bloody chooks those ones.

Macedon Emu Farm

Australian Emus

Anyway, we paid Penny for the chickens, boxed them up, and put them in the boot for the drive home.  Ben poked in lots of air holes before we left home, so there was plenty of air for them.

Chickens in a Box

Chickens in a Box

We safely arrived, but when we did, we were greeted by this look from Teddy, our pound rescue West Highland Terrier!

Curious Ted

Curious Ted

I’m not sure but I would probably say that Teddy is wondering what is in the box.  Well Mr Ted, there are four ISA Brown hens that are about 20 weeks old.  Here they are, have a good sniff.

When your old chickens stop laying - New flock of ISA Brown hens

Good looking girls, aren’t they.  From the look of their combs, they are only about three weeks from laying, maybe four.  Kim can then enjoy our Saturday morning Omelette again.  Yum.

As a matter of keeping the peace at the moment, I have kept them separate from the old girls by shutting the hatch between the two chicken runs.  Both flocks can see each other through the wire that separates the pens and once they discovered each other late this afternoon, they all squawked up a huge commotion!  I had to go outside to make sure one of neighbourhood cats hadn’t gotten into the run.

They will stay separate for a day or two, then I will open up the hatch one evening and let them figure it all out in the morning.  I dare say the my oldest girl Bunty will rule the roost with an iron wing.

New chooks making themselves at home

New chooks making themselves at home

Anyway, they seem to be settling in now.  Two of them were a bit confused at dusk because they couldn’t figure out the sleeping arrangements in the little house.  I had to put an extra perch up high in the pen so they could roost.  I will check on them before I go to bed to make sure everything is okay for the night.

So what do you do when your old chickens stop laying?  Do you let them retire in your very own Cluckingham Palace like I do, or do you take other measures?

Homemade Vegetable Quiche

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Who says that real men don’t eat Quiche, especially one without meat?  Well, this one does, thanks to my lovely and talented wife!  Kim makes the best vegetable Quiche I have ever tasted.

We had friends over on Saturday for a basic and advanced soap making workshops, and invited them to lunch.  Kim whipped up this wonderful Quiche with green salad and jacket potato.  It was light working lunch in between classes.

Kim has graciously allowed me to share the recipe with you all.

Vegetable quiche uncooked

Ready to go into the oven at 180°C for 35-40 minutes.

Homemade Vegetable Quiche

Ingredients

Shortcrust pastry

  • 225gm (8 oz) Plain Flour
  • 100gm (4 oz) Salted butter
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Cold water to mix.

Filling

  • 1 red onion
  • 1 cup grated carrots
  • 2 cups washed spinach
  • 1 cup broccoli cut into small pieces
  • ½ red capsicum, slice half, and chop the other half
  • ½ yellow capsicum, slice half, and chop the other half
  • 2 tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 large eggs, whisked
  • 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
  • Salt to taste.

Method

  1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C (350F).
  2. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl
  3. Add butter.  Cut into flour with a knife then run in with fingertips.  The mixture should resemble fine breadcrumbs.
  4. Sprinkle water over the crumbs.  Mix to a stiff crumbly looking paste with a large spoon.
  5. Draw together with fingertips, turn out on to a lightly floured surface.  Knead quickly until smooth and crack-free.
  6. Roll out and lay over a pie or flan dish and trim the edges.
  7. Blind bake with pie weights for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.  Allow pie crust to cool.  Turn oven down to 160°C (320F).
  8. Fan-fry the onion, carrot, broccoli, and the chopped capsicum until just soft.  Turn off the heat and add spinach, allow to wilt.  Allow veggies to cool.
  9. Add the cooled veggies, tomatoes, cheese, and salt to taste to bowl and mix.  Add the egg and stir through.
  10. Pour the entire mixture into the pie crust base and press down to fill.  Decorate with capsicum slices.
  11. Bake Quiche at 160°C (320F) for 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown and no longer runny.
  12. Can be eaten hot from the oven or served cold the next day.
Vegetable quiche cooked

Vegetable Quiche fresh from the oven

All I can add is that we had it cold the day after she baked it, and it was bursting with flavour.  It was one of the most amazing Quiches I have ever eaten.  My contribution was the eggs, cheese, and spinach, but her’s was her baking talent!

Simply delicious!  Give it a try, you will be surprised that this veggie dish tastes so good.

TGoG 116 – What’s Working What’s Not

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Kim joins me on the show this week and during this episode we delve into what is working in our sustainable lifestyle and what is not.

We cover such topics as non laying chickens and short showers on a cold morning, to going on holidays using Google Maps, loving homebrew beer, homemade cheese, and real food.

As always, we have a great time on the show and hope you will join us for a few laughs at the lighter side of sustainable living!

Amy Webber

Loving homebrew beer!

 

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Until next episode, keep it green!