keep chickens

As the weather improves we’re starting to tidy up the garden. I’ve got some wood for the edging of the chicken area. Pretty much decided to build my own chicken house and run. Looking good for chickens this year.

The area at the end of the garden that I’d been thinking about putting the chickens, well, I’ve decided against it and am now looking at another patch. Too many places that they could get over the fence if they were let out of their run and too close to the woods. Down nearer the house the fences are higher and more secure and it’ll be less of a chore to look after them in bad weather.

Sadly this does really mean that we’ll be looking at next year because it’ll be right next to the shed which has to be re-felted and repaired and painted. Ah well, DD will be 4 1/2 by then and better able to look after her feathery new friends.

The Chickens

Said the first little chicken,
With a strange little squirm,
“I wish I could find
A fat little worm.”

Said the next little chicken,
With an odd little shrug:
“I wish I could find
A fat little bug.”

Said a third little chicken,
With a small sigh of grief,
“I wish I could find
A green little leaf!”

Said the fourth little chicken,
With a faint little moan,
“I wish I could find
A wee gravel stone.”

“Now, see here!” said the mother,
From the green garden patch,
“If you want any breakfast,
Just come here and scratch!”

And I’ve designed the pen/pagoda. It’s a smaller area than I’d have liked so we’ll only have room for 3.

Today I gave in to temptation and got a book on keeping chickens as pets. The hen on the front was such a beauty.

Last Night I Dreamed of Chickens
by Jack Prelutsky

Last night I dreamed of chickens,
there were chickens everywhere,
they were standing on my stomach,
they were nesting in my hair,
they were pecking at my pillow,
they were hopping on my head,
they were ruffling up their feathers
as they raced about my bed.

They were on the chairs and tables,
they were on the chandeliers,
they were roosting in the corners,
they were clucking in my ears,
there were chickens, chickens, chickens
for as far as I could see…
when I woke today, I noticed
there were eggs on top of me.

3 generic brown hens, it was cool, I sold spare eggs to my work mates and the chickens paid for their keep. This time I’m looking at getting 5 Black Rocks. I’ve got a place planed in the the whole garden makeover and picked out the chicken house I want to buy, but there’s still a lot of work to do first. Anyway, I’ll have it as a goal, something to look forward to.