The chickens are very happy with our summer weather and being able to go out and forage in the yard everyday, sometimes all day long. I let them out when I’m working in the yard. They’ve been really healthy and are laying well now – just over a dozen eggs a week from the three of them.

Earlier, they had a problem with soft shells, especially Bertha, my big white Brahma chicken. She would sometimes lay paper thin eggs, sometimes leathery shells that fell apart in the coop. So I added crushed oyster shells to their food and stopped giving them kitchen handouts. They all have nice solid shells now.