We have video of the free-range chicken that once roamed the sidewalk and lots of photos of baby chicks for sale. We even kept the old metal chicken feeders that were piled up in the basement. After much cleaning, they are fun containers for succulents. It’s part of Ginger and Baker’s history.
Chickens were always a part of my life growing up. We had Bantam hens and a loud rooster that roamed the yard. When I was five, my family moved to a farm with a commercial poultry operation where we raised 30,000 chickens every few weeks. Feed and water had to be dispensed by hand twice daily. I can say it was one of the hardest jobs I’ve ever seen and my parents and us kids did all the work.
Today, I only have twelve, and they all have names: the two petite white Leghorns are Tina and Gladys. They lay the perfect white eggs you’d find at the grocery store. The two loud-mouthed and bossy Rhode Island Reds lay brown eggs and I call them Ruby and Rosy. The two Ameraucaunas lay pale blue and green eggs and their feathers are so beautiful – they are named Grace and Diana. My Dad would think I’ve lost my marbles.
‘The Girls’ are very vocal and love their treats, especially herbs that they get fresh in the summer and dried in the winter. We have a mixture of my “chicken herbs” in the shop if you want to try them on your Girls.
There are few things better than fresh eggs and I give a lot away in the summer when The Girls lay 10-12 a day. I sure can’t supply all our guests at Ginger and Baker, but thankfully we have our neighbor, Jodar Farms, who supplies us with 60 dozen at a time!
