August Milk and Egg Tally

August's numbers look better:

1. 9 eggs, 4.5 cups milk
2. 16 eggs, 7.5 cups milk
3. 9 eggs, 7 cups milk
4. 27 eggs, 4.5 cups milk
5. 14 eggs, 4.5 cups milk
6. 14 eggs, 7.5 cups milk
7. 20 eggs, 6.5 cups milk
8. 26 eggs, 4.5 cups milk
9. 17 eggs, 6.5 cups milk
10. 20 eggs, 8.5 cups milk
11. 26 eggs, 8.5 cups milk
12. 23 eggs, 6.5 cups milk
13. 20 eggs, 6.5 cups milk + a spill
14. 23 eggs, 8 cups milk
15. 23 eggs, 9 cups milk
16. 19 eggs, 6.5 cups milk
17. 24 eggs, 5.5 cups milk
18. 18 eggs, 6.5 cups milk
19. 21 eggs, 6.5 cups milk
20. 19 eggs, 8.5 cups milk
21. 21 eggs, 8.5 cups milk
22. 17 eggs, 6 cups milk
23. 20 eggs, 7 cups milk
24. 18 eggs, 7 cups milk
25. 18 eggs, 9 cups milk
26. 17 eggs, 5.5 cups milk
27. 21 eggs, 6 cups milk
28. 17 eggs, 5.5 cups milk
29. 17 eggs, 6.5 cups milk
30. 16 eggs, 4.5 cups milk + a spill
31. 16 eggs, 5 cups milk

Totals: 586 eggs, 204 cups milk (or 48.83 dozen eggs, 12.75 gallons milk)
Eggs sold: 13.5 dozen

We seem to have worked out a system with Annabelle. We bring Burt out with her and let him begin to nurse. After about 2 minutes, we then pull him off and tie him up by her head. She lets her milk down for him and then we milk her as fast as possible because as soon as her bit of food runs out and she is no longer distracted, she pulls that milk back up in a hurry. Therefore, if I am milking alone, I get less simply because I can only work so fast on my own. It's a bit of a circus, but it is working. We are getting enough to be satisfied.

Egg production is also on the rise. I do believe those chickens were just too hot to perform. I do still think there are stray eggs being laid somewhere on the pasture, but we are back to getting a decent amount. I also believe that they like to get fresh straw in their nests and lay better with it. Now why they continue to scratch it all out onto the floor and why we continue to find that they've pooed in it (though I think that may be the roosters roosting on the front lip of the nests doing that) is beyond me. They are not the smartest of creatures.

They do know their routine, though. Here is a little video of what goes on in the mornings when we let them out and feed them. Enjoy!