I really thought that putting down the “salad bars” (hardware cloth covered frames), would allow a lush patch of grass to grow and the chickens would keep it trimmed, but not be able to dig up the roots. They can’t scratch up the roots, but I think they pull the sprouts up with the roots. The wheat grass slowly disappears, and I’ve had to add seed about once a week. Now, there are definitely positives. The chickens can’t get to the sprouts until they are a few inches high, and the wild birds don’t come in and steal seed (and potentially infect my chickens with birdie diseases). My chickens are definitely interested in the bars, and regularly check them for available sprouts.

It could be that the wheat grass is not growing well because it is hot here. So very hot. It has been 100 degrees in the coop on several occasions. I water, but it is just hot. The girls gather in the deepest shade of the side run and enjoy the breeze way and iced foot baths in the late afternoons. Egg production is very low, but not, at least, at zero. Did I mention that it is hot?

So I was aware that the Faverolle hen is a medium layer, meaning not high production, which is why I aimed for a flock of 6-9 (we currently have 10) for our four person family. That they are molting again, as evidenced by the snowy piles of feathers throughout the runs, is another reason why egg production is down. It is not unusual for poor layers to start their fall molt in July and take a few months (!) to regrow all their feathers according to my chicken books. At least we are getting some eggs! It looks like there was an attack in the coop with all the feathers strewn about.