We sorta have 3 lives. #1 is the RN and his family who travel. #2 is us when Eldon isn't on a job and we're in full travel and explore mode. And #3 is when we land at my parents place to do chores for them when they go on trips. We're so glad we can do it for them and being available for family is high on the list of why we do what we do. Plus, it's really fun and it gives us a taste of "normal" life, which can also make us want to run away from it as fast as we can after a few weeks :).
As it turns out, my parents, my sister, and Eldon's sister all have chicken barns. 1 in Texas, 1 in Colorado, and 1 in Tennessee. Last year we just so happened to visit each of them when the chickens were out and Eldon got to help clean the barns and prepare for the next flock. It was a little weird that it all fell into place like that but let's just say, we see our fair share of chickens!
My dad raises layers that produce organic, cage-free, brown eggs. 20,000 chickens is approximately how many go into these barns and they have them for around 14 months. However, dad kept his last flock longer and put them through a molt as an experiment. I'm not sure yet if it was worth it or not but they have bounced back and been laying at 75-85% (that's decent, 97% is awesome).
Just a few of the darling little birds. First thing in the morning (6ish) Eldon and Michael go out and walk the barn . The floor area is on the right, and the left area that is raised is called the slats. These birds are incredibly bad for laying eggs on the ground even though they've tried all kinds of stuff. It's pretty normal to pick up 1,500 off the slats and ground in a day.
The yellow things on the left are feeders, which run automatically and on the right the red things are for water. I didn't get a picture of it because I was trying to not actually go in, but in the center of the barn are nest boxes. They are sloped so that the eggs roll down onto a belt. That is where they are supposed to lay their eggs!
So. Many. Chickens.
Someone was writing in the dust!!
Dad rigged this wagon up that they pull around and put eggs straight into flats. The red rag on the front is to hopefully scare the chickens so they can pull it through the mob easier. Eldon said what works best is Emily prancing in front of the wagon :).
Michael has been a huge help this time around. He walks the barn with Eldon every time. They do it at 6, then after breakfast they do it twice, once on the floor and once on the slats. Then again at 4 in the afternoon. Emily goes along whenever she wants but we haven't insisted she help regularly yet. Friday night Eldon was mowing the church yard and they got in their head to walk it themselves so they did! I was quite proud of them.
Makayla usually packs half the eggs. She can only do 3 layers but then it's to high for her so Eldon will often finish a stack before he comes in for breakfast. She goes out after washing the breakfast dishes and packs away, for about 30 min. In the evening she does it again while Eldon and Michael walk the barn. She does an excellent job if she pays attention and sticks to it ;).
This belt runs the length of the barn and brings the eggs in. This was a slow time but in the morning it's typically covered. We have to watch a little for cracked eggs, or ones that are huge or tiny. The huge ones get crushed and the tiny ones often get caught where they aren't supposed to and make a mess.
They roll down into these 5 chutes and it counts by 5's when it rolls them on. I just love to watch the number climb when the belt is full!
These rollers are slightly tilted and they make so the small end of the egg is pointed down. After this they are placed into cups.
The red things pick up 30 eggs by suction and carries them over........
......to here where they are placed in flats. I still hold my breath sometimes when I watch it because it looks like it will drop them any moment! My least favorite thing ever is when the packer goofs up and dumps the whole thing before the previous flat has moved on. Everything goes by sensors so a little feather or eggshell can fool the machine and make a big mess in a hurry!
From here is goes into the stacker.
This thing flips them around and pushes them up until there is 6 on a stack then the sensor stops it. Makayla can only handle 2 or 3 at a time so she just runs around a little more to keep up.
Here you can see how it's stacked. When it's full there will be 5 layers with stacks that are 6 flats high.
A full pallet. 10,800 eggs!
They are stored in the cooler until a truck picks them up and hauls them to the factory to be packaged.
I took a few videos of the packer in action. It's going fairly slow so often Makayla is scurrying a lot faster.
The office where dad keeps all his records. Every day they have to write down how many eggs were packed, how many chickens died, how much food and water they ate, the cooler temperature and probably a lot more.
Michael loves to build towers with the flats.
This is the utility room. Anytime the birds are sick they can add medicine into the water lines. The big barrels are apple cider vinegar that gets run into the water as well.
The feed bins where the feed is stored. It runs into the feeders with augers and it's all automatic. He gets feed every 7-10 days.
The fenced in area is where the chickens can get out and scratch around in the gravel if they want. Most of them are smart and stay in the cool barn though :).
I asked Makayla and Michael what their favorite part of doing chores is.
Makayla: Nothing. Except when you pay me.
Michael: Finding baby eggs so I can make mud cakes.
I also asked what their least favorite part is.
Makayla: It stinks.
Michael: It stinks and chickens are annoying.
So there you have it! That's just a quick run down of what it's like to be on a chicken farm. We do love having jobs for the children like this and seeing them overcome obstacles as they figure out how to do hard things. But it's also exhausting to never have a day off and the thought of being in debt that deep is quite frightening. Cheers to all the farmers who grow food for us! We need you desperately and will happily support you - I just don't want to be one :).
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