Well we thought what would truly make us live the dream of living the country and self sufficiency. Chickens and obviously a veg patch, So while my other half got to grips with converting the old outside toilet in a very fetching chicken house. I prepared the raised beds for the planting of my potatoes, broccoli and sprouts that would hopefully be ready in time for Christmas. I got my hands dirty with gods good earth, broke a few nails, screamed when I saw a few beasties and had a lovely time time getting drenched by my 3 year old boy as we planted our veg. Rosy cheeks had by all.
While my veg was getting to grips with the raised beds, making lovely progress. We looked into finding our new editions to our family. We found a supplier of chickens Creag Mhor Poultry and chose 3 different variety's of chickens.
My OH travelled to get the girls, he brought them home in cardboard boxes!! I suddenly realised I was totally clueless when it came the chickens. Don't get me wrong, we had done extensive research reading books, web pages, Blogs, you name we read it, but when the girls arrived panic passed over me we were now responsible for 3 chickens!!
The reality was clucking and flapping in front of my very eyes and I was petrified, how would I pick them up how would I go in the coop to clean them out? Had we made a huge mistake? We named the girls Patsy (Cline) aka Henny Penny, Tina (Turner) and Celine (Dion). My OH passed me Celine, I was a little freaked out at first but feeling her soft feathers she seemed so relaxed in my arms, so began a beautiful friendship.
Once they were transferred into their new home we had to leave them in there to get used to their new environment.
We decided that once they were ready to come out we would give them free rein of the back garden. How much damage can 3 chickens do?
OMG, how much damage can 3 chickens do? Well at first they were pretty sedate just wandering around pecking here and there, then they discovered my veg patch and my veg tubs. Over the course of 2 weeks my veg, slowly but surely did no longer exist! We had created steps down into our garden with bark chippings, the chippings were all over the lawn, the borders of the garden have been dug out. So it is safe to say 3 chickens can do a lot of damage to the garden and our garden no longer looks pretty. The plus side is we have happy hens, who give us lovely fresh eggs daily.
It is lovely to go in the garden to see the girls roaming round, as soon as they see you they follow close behind you, to see if you are giving them any treats. They all have different characteristic's, Tina is the feisty one, she is very reluctant to be picked up or touched and rarely eats out of your hand, Patsy is also quite feisty, but likes a bit of cuddle now and again. I know you shouldn't have favourites but Celine is the one, she has a slight limp and is always ready for a cuddle and is the first to come to greet you. She is so sweet!!
We were worried our dog would like to "play" with the chickens, but luckily he just ignores them and they keep out of his way! If you leave the back door open the Chickens rush up the stairs straight in the kitchen to see if there are any nice scraps going. We had an incident the other day I had left the back door open and the door to the lounge open and suddenly appears Patsy. She climbed on the window ledge (whilst a bus load of people were outside, what were they thinking?) and then proceeded to harass my daughter who was in her play pen. I had to wait till my OH came home as Patsy was totally set against going back outside. Then my OH was in his office (upstairs), and lo and behold who should appear on the window ledge...Patsy bold as brass. We thought the ladders would have to make an appearance but luckily she found her way down again.
We are looking into to getting a couple more chickens now, as we are a bit more experienced we are going to get some ex-battery hens to join the other girls. I would really like a pig but I have yet to convince my OH.
So to answer my question what came first the Chicken or the Veg? Well in my case it was definitely the Veg, but the Chickens made sure they made their mark on it!
Once they were transferred into their new home we had to leave them in there to get used to their new environment.
We decided that once they were ready to come out we would give them free rein of the back garden. How much damage can 3 chickens do?
OMG, how much damage can 3 chickens do? Well at first they were pretty sedate just wandering around pecking here and there, then they discovered my veg patch and my veg tubs. Over the course of 2 weeks my veg, slowly but surely did no longer exist! We had created steps down into our garden with bark chippings, the chippings were all over the lawn, the borders of the garden have been dug out. So it is safe to say 3 chickens can do a lot of damage to the garden and our garden no longer looks pretty. The plus side is we have happy hens, who give us lovely fresh eggs daily.
It is lovely to go in the garden to see the girls roaming round, as soon as they see you they follow close behind you, to see if you are giving them any treats. They all have different characteristic's, Tina is the feisty one, she is very reluctant to be picked up or touched and rarely eats out of your hand, Patsy is also quite feisty, but likes a bit of cuddle now and again. I know you shouldn't have favourites but Celine is the one, she has a slight limp and is always ready for a cuddle and is the first to come to greet you. She is so sweet!!
We were worried our dog would like to "play" with the chickens, but luckily he just ignores them and they keep out of his way! If you leave the back door open the Chickens rush up the stairs straight in the kitchen to see if there are any nice scraps going. We had an incident the other day I had left the back door open and the door to the lounge open and suddenly appears Patsy. She climbed on the window ledge (whilst a bus load of people were outside, what were they thinking?) and then proceeded to harass my daughter who was in her play pen. I had to wait till my OH came home as Patsy was totally set against going back outside. Then my OH was in his office (upstairs), and lo and behold who should appear on the window ledge...Patsy bold as brass. We thought the ladders would have to make an appearance but luckily she found her way down again.
We are looking into to getting a couple more chickens now, as we are a bit more experienced we are going to get some ex-battery hens to join the other girls. I would really like a pig but I have yet to convince my OH.
