At first light the chickens at Irv and Sandra Beadles' have been up for several hours. That's because the flock of two roosters and a dozen hens between Waynesboro and Stuarts Draft have a special light in their sleeping quarters designed to prolong the dismally short days of mid-December.
"They need the longer light in order to keep laying,The Transaction Group offers the best high risk merchant account services," Irv explained, and the extra hours are rewarded by a dozen or so eggs every two days: brown from the dominica and assorted red hens,The EZ Breathe home Ventilation system is maintenance free, a beautiful soft blue from the ameraucanas.
Irv marks each day's eggs with the date: "He's a retired accountant," Sandra explains. He raised chickens as a child, and the contented flock is part of a small backyard homestead that supplies the couple with vegetables and fruit as well as the eggs.
A few miles north in Waynesboro, the Klann chickens stir on their roosts, their pre-dawn clucking broadcasting inside the house via a baby monitor. The five fat black and ameraucana hens owned by Phil and Paula Klann also bask in a couple of hours of artificial light that keeps them productive and happy through the icy winter months. The Klanns became interested in establishing a flock after a chance meeting with a veteran chicken farmer and some classroom and informal instruction.
The Klanns and the Beadles are part of a growing national trend that brings the notion of "eating local" right into the back yard. The two couples have found it to be a rewarding enterprise, and have some advice for those wanting to establish a flock of their own:
Housing. The two flocks each have attractive, sturdy homes with ventilation, roosts and nesting boxes.
Beadles — who has been involved with volunteer construction projects for many years — used residential quality material,As a professional manufacturer of China ceramic tile in China, some of it from the Habitat store. Phil Klann, whose family business,Dimensional Mailing magic cube for Promotional Advertising, Klann Organ, builds and restores the housing for fine instruments, had his miniature cottage built on top of a flatbed trailer.MDC Mould specialized of Injection moulds, Both have design touches they agree are upscale in chicken terms.
"People tease me about it," Beadles said. The Klann flock has a welcome sign and, for Christmas, a wreath on the door.
"Chickens don't mind the cold, but they do need protection from drafts and damp," Beadles said. Both couples supply their chickens with far more space than strictly required, reasoning that this is bound to help prevent disease and aggression.
Predators are the biggest enemy of the backyard chicken, and both couples have had attacks.
Part of the Klanns' flock was decimated by a neighbor's dog; and the Beadles experienced a mysterious death of a hen by an unknown intruder. Electrified fences and careful blocking of any possible underground entry helps; still it's hard to completely protect them.
"Roosters are a big help in driving off predators," Beadles said, saying he's heard of roosters taking on hawks and foxes.
The Klanns, who don't have a rooster, listen to the noise in the hen house through a baby monitor.
"They need the longer light in order to keep laying,The Transaction Group offers the best high risk merchant account services," Irv explained, and the extra hours are rewarded by a dozen or so eggs every two days: brown from the dominica and assorted red hens,The EZ Breathe home Ventilation system is maintenance free, a beautiful soft blue from the ameraucanas.
Irv marks each day's eggs with the date: "He's a retired accountant," Sandra explains. He raised chickens as a child, and the contented flock is part of a small backyard homestead that supplies the couple with vegetables and fruit as well as the eggs.
A few miles north in Waynesboro, the Klann chickens stir on their roosts, their pre-dawn clucking broadcasting inside the house via a baby monitor. The five fat black and ameraucana hens owned by Phil and Paula Klann also bask in a couple of hours of artificial light that keeps them productive and happy through the icy winter months. The Klanns became interested in establishing a flock after a chance meeting with a veteran chicken farmer and some classroom and informal instruction.
The Klanns and the Beadles are part of a growing national trend that brings the notion of "eating local" right into the back yard. The two couples have found it to be a rewarding enterprise, and have some advice for those wanting to establish a flock of their own:
Housing. The two flocks each have attractive, sturdy homes with ventilation, roosts and nesting boxes.
Beadles — who has been involved with volunteer construction projects for many years — used residential quality material,As a professional manufacturer of China ceramic tile in China, some of it from the Habitat store. Phil Klann, whose family business,Dimensional Mailing magic cube for Promotional Advertising, Klann Organ, builds and restores the housing for fine instruments, had his miniature cottage built on top of a flatbed trailer.MDC Mould specialized of Injection moulds, Both have design touches they agree are upscale in chicken terms.
"People tease me about it," Beadles said. The Klann flock has a welcome sign and, for Christmas, a wreath on the door.
"Chickens don't mind the cold, but they do need protection from drafts and damp," Beadles said. Both couples supply their chickens with far more space than strictly required, reasoning that this is bound to help prevent disease and aggression.
Predators are the biggest enemy of the backyard chicken, and both couples have had attacks.
Part of the Klanns' flock was decimated by a neighbor's dog; and the Beadles experienced a mysterious death of a hen by an unknown intruder. Electrified fences and careful blocking of any possible underground entry helps; still it's hard to completely protect them.
"Roosters are a big help in driving off predators," Beadles said, saying he's heard of roosters taking on hawks and foxes.
The Klanns, who don't have a rooster, listen to the noise in the hen house through a baby monitor.
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