The Mission – Chicken Update and How to Boil Fresh Eggs

It seems that the girls only have one mission this summer.  It’s to get on the decks and eat my herbs that I have been painstakingly growing there.   To aid in the survival of the herbs and to keep me from having to clean chicken pop off of the deck every time I turn around, I have fenced them out with construction fencing.  That’s right we are just that classy, lol.  So far it has worked keeping them at bay but I know it is only a matter of time.

Really, if there is a place you don’t want the girls to be, well that is exactly where they wish to be 24/7.

Here is the cast of characters for their mission:

Sophie the General.  She may look very sweet, but she is crafty.  If her minions get out of line, the least little bit, she pecks them on the head so they shape up.  She is the mastermind.   Don’t let that sweet face and her sweet bip, bip, bip sound that she makes fool you.

This is Sophie and Lily casing the place.  I know they look all innocent, but they are really up to something.

Buffy, second in command.  She is checking to see if I am watching.  Yep, I’m  still here drinking my coffee.  Doesn’t Shultz from Hogan’s Hero’s come to mind some how?  I know NOTHING. . . .   Oh, now I’m telling my age a bit.

Buffy calls one of the minions, Red, over to preen and try to distract me.  Yeah, that’s not going to work.

I see Goldie and Fern whispering to each other in secret. Oops, she caught us.

They try to throw me off and send the bearded girl in to see if I’m still watching.  This is Bunny, she has a muff which looks like a beard, lol.  Yep, I’m still here drinking my coffee.. . . .

They give up for now.  I just know they will figure a way in.  It’s just a matter of time.

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Now, I bet you are wondering why on earth does a person go through all this trouble of raising chickens.  Well it’s for the yummy fresh eggs.

I did have a problem though.  I couldn’t figure out how to boil fresh eggs and peel the shell off without the egg tearing up.  I would put my fresh eggs in the back of the frig for a couple of weeks to let them get old so they would peel correctly.  Well that just defeats the purpose of having fresh eggs so I went on my own mission to search the internet to find a better solution.  This is what I found.  YOU STEAM THEM!

Times will vary depending on your steamer.  I steam mine in my steamer for 30 minutes.  The clock starts ticking the minute I put them in the steamer.

When they are done steaming I plunge them into ice water and then peel them.

The shell comes right off and they are cooked to perfection.  🙂

Well I hope all of this made you smile a bit.  I’m off to check for tunnels.

Until my next post. . . . . . .  .

Huge Hugs!

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12 thoughts on “The Mission – Chicken Update and How to Boil Fresh Eggs

  1. Dana B's avatar Dana B

    You steam them for 30 min?! We used to get farm eggs all the time? Well, now I know for the next time we have a good source 🙂 Buffy and Goldie both look like Shultz! Hogan’s Heroes was awesome 🙂

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  2. I so enjoy your stories and pictures of your “girls”, Michelle. They always put a smile on my face. You are a very entertaining writer as well as a gifted artist! I love your construction fencing – great temporary solution!

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  3. I just love your chicken stories and pictures!~ My son has chickens and ducks and I do love those free range farm fresh eggs!! I add baking soda to my water when boiling the eggs… works great! We were saddned recently when screwball had to putdown…Screwball got her name because she was always a “bit off” I do love hearing about your “girls” oh yeah, I love your stamping too!

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  4. Pat Jandacek's avatar Pat Jandacek

    Love hearing about the ‘girls’ and your captions are spot on (and funny)! I’m sure they’ll figure someway to get back on the deck. Good tip about steaming eggs – had never heard of that method.

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  5. Debi C's avatar Debi C

    Oh, Michelle! I loved your reference to Hogan’s Hero’s! Thanks so much for sharing your fabulous photos – mine never turn out so clear and sharp! I enjoy receiving your email!

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  6. Maria Rodriguez's avatar Maria Rodriguez

    I didn’t know you could steam eggs to make them hard boil but that’s a great idea, I must give this a try. I make hard boil eggs by placing the eggs on a pot, cover them with cold water and place them on the stove, when the water comes to a good boil, I turn the heat off, cover the pot with it’s lid and wait 12 min. then I put the eggs in very cold water and that’s it, the shells peels right off.
    I love this pictures of your mischievous girls, they look like they own the place, how fun it must be to be around them and see them do what they do best, specially give you the awesome gift of fresh, beautiful eggs.
    Thank your for sharing this with us Michelle, we truly enjoy it.

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  7. Penny C's avatar Penny C

    I love hearing about your chickens but delighted to learn the steam method for fresh eggs! I don’t have chickens myself but have the same problem with farmer’s market eggs. I can’t wait to try it. Thank you!

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  8. Brenda in IN's avatar Brenda in IN

    I, too, put baking soda in the water when boiling them. Works every time. Even if you forget, I’ve put it in the water in the last few minutes and it still works. I love hearing about the chickens. They have their own little personalities.

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  9. Sandra's avatar Sandra

    ROTFLOL!!! You are so funny and so are your girls!! LOL I think I will try that…I have been hosing off the patio a couple times a day because they love the cool cement floor. I have been working very hard to keep my chicks cool…it’s supposed to be 105 today. UGH! Why don’t chickens like water? They act like they might melt if they get wet!! LOL I have been hosing down all the favorite shady spots and they have waterers all over the yard. It would be so much easier if they would just use a kiddie pool! LOLOL!!

    Never heard of steaming eggs…I usually don’t have issues peeling eggs…but then I have been buying store eggs for forever…and my chicks are still “babies”. Couple more months and we’ll see if my method still works!

    Thanks for sharing your chickie antics…I have a ball with my chicks and it’s fun to do voice for them. My husband was going on about how one of the chicks had gas the other night when they all left the coop except one…I was laughing hysterically!! =)

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