Howdy! My name is Michael Jimenez, and I’m a 22-year-old proud owner of JMZ Farms, where I raise the best organic pasture-raised hens in Texas. My brother Anthony and I work together every day to make sure our hens are happy and healthy. I love farming, animals, and sharing my journey with all of you. Today, I want to give you a peek into our daily and weekly chores on the farm. Trust me, it’s a lot of hard work, but it’s totally worth it!
Morning Routine
Every morning, my brother Anthony and I start our day early at 7 am by greeting our loyal dogs, Gunner and Apollo. We then head over to feed the hens with USDA-certified organic, non-GMO feed from a local mill called Coyote Creek Organic Feed Mill in Elgin, TX. This ensures that our hens are getting all the nutrients they need without any harmful chemicals.
Anthony takes the wagon and grabs the prepared buckets of feed to take out to the pasture, while I feed the baby chicks. The night before, I weigh out the feed the hens need and ferment it. I also refill all the waterers so that in the morning, we just make sure they have plenty of fresh water to drink. Hydrated hens are healthy hens!
Monday through Friday around midday, I am usually at work as a full-time corporate accountant. During this time, the hens enjoy their time outside. They love dust bathing, which is their way of keeping clean and getting rid of pests. It’s fun to watch them roll around in the dirt! All the while, Gunner and Apollo keep an eye out for any potential threats.
Evening Routine
Monday through Friday, after I get home from work, I begin my chores around 7:30 pm. It’s time to collect the eggs, which is one of my favorite parts of the day. I carefully gather the eggs from the nests and bring them inside to be washed and packed. On average, I collect 120 blue, green, and brown eggs a day. Did you know that a hen’s egg color can be determined by the color of her earlobes? Hens with white earlobes lay white eggs, and hens with red earlobes lay brown eggs. Cool, right?
I also do a quick health check on our hens every day in the afternoon. I make sure they are all looking healthy and happy. If I notice any hen that seems a bit off, I give her extra attention to make sure she’s okay. Healthy hens lay the best eggs, and I want only the best for our customers.
As the sun starts to set, it’s time to round up the hens. Naturally, they will put themselves back into the hen house. I make sure everyone is inside safe and sound before closing up for the night. I also turn on the electrical fence on high power mode; this keeps them protected from any nighttime predators.
Before heading in for the night, I prepare for the next day. I bring all the waterers back and refill them. I weigh the feed that will be needed for the next day and add water to ferment the feed. Then, I make sure everything is in order for another busy day on the farm.
After doing that, I spend some time packing the eggs that I collected into our beautiful 12-dozen packages. Our eggs are not only delicious but also come in eco-friendly packaging. I love knowing that we are taking care of the environment as well as our hens.
Pasture Maintenance
On top of our daily tasks, we have a few weekly chores that are just as important. Once a week, my volunteer PW and I move the portable fencing, chicken tractor, feeders, waterers, and egg cart to give our hens fresh pasture to explore. This helps keep the grass healthy and gives the hens new areas to forage. It’s a bit of a workout, but it’s worth it to see the hens so happy.
Join Our Farm Family
I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into our life on JMZ Farms. Raising organic pasture-raised hens is a lot of work, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. If you’d like to enjoy our fresh, delicious eggs delivered straight to your door, consider subscribing to our egg subscription at JMZFarms.com. You’ll taste the difference in every bite!
And if you love what you’re reading and want to show your support, don’t forget to check out our JMZ Farms merchandise. We have hats, hoodies, short and long sleeve t-shirts, and mugs. Your support helps us continue doing what we love and bringing you the best eggs in Texas.
Thank you for joining us on this journey. I look forward to welcoming you to our JMZ Farms family!
ความคิดเห็น