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[Clansgian AT wmconnect.com]

Gene's too many chickens comment got me to thinking as well.  We had 75 hens 
last year and we are not keen on selling many eggs this year for some of the 
very reasons already mentioned.  Produce stands here buy free range eggs or 
anything that passes for a "country egg" but when they get as many as they 
need, 
that's it.  We don't have feed costs for the chickens so no real need to 
bother with it when gas for delivery is too expensive.

We're going to cut back to very fewer chickens now.  It's much as Gene said, 
when you have lots, eat lots.  When you have few, eat few, when you have 
none, 
eat something else.  This time of year a good number of eggs go into the 
inucubator for meat chickens and replacement layers.  They are Orpingtons, 
various 
Rocks, and Americaunas, adequate but not sterling meat breeds.  Since a great 
deal goes into tamales, ground meat, and canned sandwich meat, it doesn't 
matter that they aren't the white skinned, broad breasted meat chickens.

Like Bev, but on a smaller scale probably, we put up things that contain eggs 
such as veggie burgers made from squash and eggs.  Makes a decent sandwich so 
long as you aren't expecting it to eat like a hamburger.  Also some breaded 
squash and locust blossoms and such use up some eggs.

Eggs cost nearly nothing in the spring and summer.  That many eggs would cost 
some in the winter so we don't have as many then.

Like the old song says:

"Peaches in the summertime, apples in the fall...."

Indulging in the abundance in season is a very pleasant way to go.