[tosca100]

........and already they are calling the tune!

We have been waiting to get chickens for a long time, even putting the house on the market so that we could buy a bigger garden. When a couple of sales fell through, we gave up and decided we would get some anyway, despite a covenant and living in a residential area with a small garden.

We had it all worked out. We bought a small coop with a seven foot run, which is on the drive (potato pots ousted) for when we were not here, and put a gate and netted over the drive, which has 6' fences and gates, for when we were. They have bark for scratching about in, a box of soil for a dust bath should it ever stop raining, and some turf to nibble on. OH lets them out of the coop when I go to work at 4.40am and I let them on to the drive when I get home, any time between 9am and 1.30. They can go into the garden under supervision, for short spells.

HUH!

They are on the drive first thing and as soon as I come home they are in the garden! They have the run, the garage and the growhouse for shelter, so they can choose where to get out of the rain, are forever banging on the kitchen door to get attention, especially if they see movement. Trying to get out without them getting in is almost impossible for someone with reduced mobility (and they always poop just as they get over the threshold) Take no notice of the dogs at all. And they are sooooo funny! They are sticking to the concrete mainly (because of the rain) with regular forays to dig up the garden and nibble the grass.

Clara has  had a problem with soft eggs, and was off colour for a few days, rather worrying (got vet nurses for friends luckily) but is fighting fit now, though not laying, Smoky (the boss) is laying lovely little eggs every day, Florrie, nice but dim, has laid a few but has now stopped, and everywhere is fertilised well.....including the dogs' stomachs!

We are all besotted with them. OH is going to sort a screen to go over half the door for when it stops raining, as we have the door open constantly. All we have to do is teach Bella that they are not toys! She is constantly play bowing to try to get them to play!

Why did we wait so long?

You can't come in Florrie!


Hen sitting


Movement in the kitchen girls.............


Mob!

[evie2]

Aren't they hilarious and much mire entertaining than tv   Ours like to pinch the cat food and play peek-a-boo with Josh through the cat flap

[ANHBUC]

Just shows how adaptable hens and dogs are.   

[New shoot]

Is that an egg on the doorstep - little gift to persuade you to let them in 

[sneezer]

They are lovely looking hens and are such fun little things...

[arugula]

  Yup! They're back garden chickens.

[tosca100]

The fly screen has gone up today, working at the moment, but while I was at work, OH turned his back for a second and two had come through the kitchen and were peering out of the front door!

Dogs are a waste of space!!!!!