http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz organic vegetable gardening courses, growing tips and homegrown recipes. Tue, 24 Jan 2012 09:01:07 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/index.php/2011/06/seven-tips-for-getting-more-eggs-from-your-chickens/ http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/index.php/2011/06/seven-tips-for-getting-more-eggs-from-your-chickens/#comments Mon, 27 Jun 2011 06:59:58 +0000 Rachel http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/?p=3113

So you think your chooks aren’t laying well? Maybe they’re not. If it’s winter, hens have got better things to do, like planning their summer holidays and catching up on some reading. It’s no time to be raising chicks. Laying eggs is a daylight sensitive business. Commercial egg production uses artificial light to trick the chooks into laying consistently through winter. Most chooks return to laying up to a month after the shortest day. You don’t need a rooster to get your chooks to lay eggs, only if you want those eggs to be fertile.

Love you chooks. Spend time with them every day. Discover their habits and get to know their funny little ways. They’re amazing creatures and they always make me smile, particularly when I remember that their brain is about the size of a pea, and they’re only using half of it (ok, I was joking about the reading - but they are definitely looking at the pictures in the holiday brochures). Here are some things to try if you’re suffering a lack of eggs: ]]> http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/index.php/2011/06/seven-tips-for-getting-more-eggs-from-your-chickens/feed/ 2 http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/index.php/2011/03/dealing-with-roosters/ http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/index.php/2011/03/dealing-with-roosters/#comments Wed, 02 Mar 2011 02:55:12 +0000 Rachel http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/?p=1954

I've had a few requests to repeat last year's 'dealing with roosters' workshop. If you've raised some chicks and have a rooster or two beginning to find his voice, I'll be running the workshop on Sunday 13 March 2011 at 10am at The Kitchen Garden for you to learn how to slaughter and prepare your birds for the table. You can also deal with older laying hens at the same time. Please email me if you would like to come. If you are interested but can't make this date, please let me know as I'll repeat it if there is sufficient interest. $20 per person including rhubarb crumble slice for morning tea.]]> http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/index.php/2011/03/dealing-with-roosters/feed/ 1 http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/index.php/2010/12/where-to-get-chook-and-chick-food-in-wellington/ http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/index.php/2010/12/where-to-get-chook-and-chick-food-in-wellington/#comments Sun, 19 Dec 2010 22:37:36 +0000 Rachel http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/?p=2712 http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/index.php/2010/12/where-to-get-chook-and-chick-food-in-wellington/feed/ 0 http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/index.php/2010/12/festive-pies-and-more-new-chicks/ http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/index.php/2010/12/festive-pies-and-more-new-chicks/#comments Fri, 17 Dec 2010 00:07:27 +0000 Rachel http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/?p=2681

I'm still refining my mince pie recipe since making slow-cooked Christmas mincemeat and favouring mini pies over large. Silicon bakeware takes the stress out of removing them from the tin, washes in the dishwasher and doesn't need greasing - hooray. I used made this sweet, short pastry for one batch and it worked well. I like the fact each pie has its own home-made individuality. My star cutter is a bit big so the stars droop over the edge slightly but no one seems to mind.

Norah, the explorer hen, has now hatched six very healthy chicks. If you are interested in giving them a home they are for sale here.

The 2011 Kiwi Diary is a beautifully formatted publication. For those of us who still cling to our ever effective paper-based systems it's a thing of beauty to own and use. Delight someone you love with one in their Christmas stocking. ]]> http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/index.php/2010/12/festive-pies-and-more-new-chicks/feed/ 0 http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/index.php/2010/12/chicks-for-sale/ http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/index.php/2010/12/chicks-for-sale/#comments Thu, 09 Dec 2010 03:31:13 +0000 Rachel http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/?p=2617 http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/index.php/2010/12/chicks-for-sale/feed/ 0 http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/index.php/2010/05/five-winter-treats-for-chooks/ http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/index.php/2010/05/five-winter-treats-for-chooks/#comments Mon, 24 May 2010 22:20:51 +0000 Rachel http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/?p=1950 http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/index.php/2010/05/five-winter-treats-for-chooks/feed/ 0 http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/index.php/2010/04/two-black-pullets-for-sale/ http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/index.php/2010/04/two-black-pullets-for-sale/#comments Thu, 08 Apr 2010 05:16:09 +0000 Rachel http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/?p=1967 http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/index.php/2010/04/two-black-pullets-for-sale/feed/ 0 http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/index.php/2010/01/grumpy-and-proud/ http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/index.php/2010/01/grumpy-and-proud/#comments Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:10:56 +0000 Rachel http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/?p=1744 http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/index.php/2010/01/grumpy-and-proud/feed/ 0 http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/index.php/2009/12/real-vanilla-custard/ http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/index.php/2009/12/real-vanilla-custard/#comments Thu, 31 Dec 2009 11:00:55 +0000 Rachel http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/?p=1685 http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/index.php/2009/12/real-vanilla-custard/feed/ 0 http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/index.php/2009/10/incubator-chick-raising/ http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/index.php/2009/10/incubator-chick-raising/#comments Wed, 07 Oct 2009 22:22:54 +0000 Rachel http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/?p=1369 http://www.thekitchengarden.co.nz/index.php/2009/10/incubator-chick-raising/feed/ 0