Feathers Falling Autumn Calling

It's the time of year when the weather turns windy, cold and rainy sending all of our leaves and pine needles falling to the ground and (much to Paul's dismay) into our gutters. Curiously, our hens (a.k.a. - the girls) also choose this inclement time to molt. It's autumn, and the floor of the hen house and yard looks as if a pillow fight broke our overnight. Molting is the shedding of old feathers and growth of new ones. Chickens typically stop laying at this time and build up their nutrient reserves. We like to think they are changing out their wardrobe before taking a well earned vacation.

"Miss Red" in the midst of molting.

"Blondie" all dressed and ready to go.

But wait, you say, there are eggs in the stores year round. How can this be with all of those chickens purging their feathers and then heading out on Caribbean cruises? Well, the truth is, most chickens work year round like the rest of us. There is a little cheat that makes this possible. Darkness is the main reason egg production slows in the late fall. It is those shorter days that are the culprits. Chickens lay best when they receive 15 hours of daylight. Simply hang a nine-watt compact fluorescent bulb at the top of your coop to spread the light. Plug the light into a timer and have it come on early enough in the morning to give the girls 15 hours of daylight, and egg production will continue through the shorter days of winter.

But in our little corner of the world, we like to give the girls a break. Paul and I (mostly Paul) eat eggs like crazy the rest of the year. Its a challenge to keep up with the girls when they really get rolling with their egg production. So I guess the break is nice for all of us. Plus, I like to think of the girls sitting out in their warm little coop, possibly knitting or playing Bunko enjoying a cup of Darjeeling tea awaiting the warmer days of Spring. Egg laying time will come soon enough and when it does our girls will be dressed and ready.

LEE FARM BARN

7x5 inches, oil on linen canvas, 2015

THIS PAINTING IS CURRENTLY AT AUCTION

Lee Farm Barn - auction ends on Sunday, November 1st at 9:00am PST. Click on this link to bid: http://ebay.to/1GkcXfG

My husband Paul and I were enjoying a Sunday drive a while back when we came across a farmstead located north of Oak Harbor on Whidbey island. We drove up the driveway and knocked on the door of a small house. The owner, a very gracious woman, opened the door and consented to our request to walk around her property so I could take reference images of her barn. While, I was photographing, an extremely elderly, grey horse followed me around occasionally obscuring the image through my view finder with it’s nose. When I returned, Paul had learned that we were on the Lee Farm which had been in this location and in the same family for over 100 years. And the barn was beautiful!