They are called Nest Egg gourds and I found them online while researching heirloom & traditional crops. Legend says this is what they used "back in the day" before wooden eggs to teach the hens where to lay.
I don't know if it's too late or not, I'm no expert, never even grown a gourd before myself. I bought them because Martha Stewart's chicken coop is in the FULL sun, winter & summer and when I saw that I was like OMG.. those chickens must DIE of heat stroke in the summer.. and then she says (it was a TV show), " ... and in the spring, I plant squash & gourds all around my chicken coop and it grows up quickly shading the chickens from summer heat."... something like that.
I saw the Nest Egg gourds, and was tired of blowing out eggs and thought... hey.. two birds, one stone! Et Viola!
They are lovely to grow so far, quite easy. Since I have free ranging chickens and they are planted outside the coops I had to provide chicken wire protection at the base of the gourds, but now that they have tendrils & big leaves they are pretty much off the poultry radar for foodstuffs.
I don't know if it's too late or not, I'm no expert, never even grown a gourd before myself. I bought them because Martha Stewart's chicken coop is in the FULL sun, winter & summer and when I saw that I was like OMG.. those chickens must DIE of heat stroke in the summer.. and then she says (it was a TV show), " ... and in the spring, I plant squash & gourds all around my chicken coop and it grows up quickly shading the chickens from summer heat."... something like that.
I saw the Nest Egg gourds, and was tired of blowing out eggs and thought... hey.. two birds, one stone! Et Viola!
They are lovely to grow so far, quite easy. Since I have free ranging chickens and they are planted outside the coops I had to provide chicken wire protection at the base of the gourds, but now that they have tendrils & big leaves they are pretty much off the poultry radar for foodstuffs.
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