I first noticed it when I was collecting chicken eggs one day, not many eggs to collect today. Well the weather has been extremely hot lately maybe they slowed down in the egg production. Then the next time I went to collect eggs again the egg production was far below their normal level. That is when I went on the search to find the hens. I called them and of course the rooster and two hens showed up. I then went looking for the rest of the flock, but they were nowhere to be found. Somehow over the past week something had gotten to the hens. I live in the country in a forested area, so it could have been raccoons, possums, wolves, stray dogs, or just about anything. I guess the reason I hadn’t noticed sooner is that they are free range chickens, meaning that they slept in the chicken coop at night, but they come and go as they please about the yard and into the edge of the woods.
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| These are the chickens we bought. They seemed to have already made themselves right at home. |
Well having only two laying hens is not enough to feed my family, so I went to First Monday in Canton, Texas.http://www.firstmondaycanton.com/ First Monday is a huge flea market. You can find almost anything there from farm animals, dogs, used tools, used clothing, arts and crafts, handmade quilts, new clothing, designer shoes and purses, vintage records, vintage dishes, welding supplies, blacksmithing supplies, outdoor grills, and almost anything you can imagine. It is a fun place to visit. You cannot see the whole flea market it one day. It is that huge!
At First Monday I bought 7 hens. Hens sell anywhere between $9-$12. When I buy hens I look for hens that are young about 5-6 months old. I look to see if their beak has not been clipped. Most of the time a clipped beak indicates that the hen was once at a commercial egg production house and has been culled because of age or decline in its egg production. I also look to see if the hen I am buying has an overall healthy appearance such as its size, is it free from defects in its feathers and body, no problems with its feet, and no cuts or bruises about its head.
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| We bought 2 of these hens for $10 each. |
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| We bought 3 of these hens for $12 each. |
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| The rooster was given to us free from a friend about a year ago. We bought 2 of the hens in the photo for $12 each. |
After spending the morning shopping at First Monday, my husband and I worked up a huge appetite so we headed over to Val’s Italian Restaurant & Pizza. http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/301/1272342/restaurant/Texas/Vals-Italian-Restaurant-Canton
We have known Val and his family for about 11 years. My husband ordered the Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo and I ordered Lasagna. The main entrees are absolutely delicious and full of flavor. They are also served with fresh baked garlic rolls and salad. I love the house dressing. It is all so good that you are tempted to lick your plate clean! And the prices are very reasonable.
What I find so very comforting about this local restaurant is that it is truly a family owned and operated restaurant. As we enjoyed our meal we were able to spend some time talking with the owner Val. He told us how much effort and time he spends in creating a good product because that is how you get repeat business. “If you are to get repeat customers,” he said, “you have to produce quality work. No short cuts!”
I guess that is true in anything we do in life. To live a quality life we must be committed to producing quality work in whatever chosen field we desire.
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