Keeping Chickens & Ceramic Eggs (Giveaway!!!)

I'm gearing up to teach another of my "Backyard Chickens" classes at our local community college, AB-Tech, tonight (there's still a few spaces left, if any of you want to come!). Accordingly, I've got chickens on the brain.

This time of year is such a great time in the wide world of our fine feathered friends. Their plumage is nice and glossy, their combs and wattles are red and plump, they're thrilled to be finding bugs available for the picking (pecking?), and some hens are going broody, ready to sit on a clutch of eggs. In short, the birds are living the good life!

When my flock is happy, I'm happy. As such, I'd like to offer one small measure reader a copy of my book, Keeping Chickens. I'm also including with the book a couple of brown ceramic eggs. More than simply decorative objects (if you're into the whole poultry decor thing, that is), these eggs are incredibly handy to have around, for a variety of reasons.

Should you have a hen go broody, but don't have a rooster in your flock (and therefore lack any fertile eggs), you can tuck these eggs under her. She can then continue to sit without doing so on eggs you'd rather be consuming yourself (that is, unless you want to discourage her broodiness, in which case you'll need to block entry to the nesting box she's been using).

These ceramic eggs can also be used should you ever have a problem with a member of your flock eating their own eggs. An attempted peck or two at the fake eggs is pretty much all it takes to discourage the nibbling interloper from continued action.

To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment below. Be sure to leave a means of contacting you in your reply, either via your email address or through a link back to your own blog or website. I'll run the giveaway through next Wednesday, April 18th, midnight EST. The giveaway is open to all residents of North America.

Whether you're already a chicken tender(er), or hoping to get a wing up on the venture this year, here's wishing you and your flock a world of food and fun!

UPDATE:The winner of my "Keeping Chickens" book and ceramic eggs giveaway is lucky #62, Sarah, of Frugal By Choice. Thank you so very much to everyone that entered, and props to you, Sarah!