My chickens

February - their first day in their new home

I've had my chickens for nearly 18 months now and they are well and truly part of the family. My girls were rescued from a battery farm where they spent the first 2 years of their life 'living' in a small cage with no room to move or show any natural behaviour. And you could tell. When I first put them into their run they just stood still. They had pink floppy combs, were featherless in places (I was told they weren't that bad compared to some) and looked scared stiff. On their first night I had to entice them into their house by putting a torch in there - eventually they walked in and settled down.

For the first month they were confined to their house and run - but this was just fine for them; a nice roomy 4 metre long run rather than the tiny cage they'd grown up in.

April - free ranging

Eventually, however they got curious. Whenever I cleaned them out they tried to escape; it was time to free range.  I began by making a temporary pen for them outside their run so they could get used to going in and out when I was with them. Once they tried escaping that I knew it was time and let them explore the garden.  Now everyday, come wind, rain or shine the girls and I spend time together in the garden. The girls get to roam the garden whilst I potter about, sit and read or have dinner. But I don't leave them alone in the garden as there are foxes roaming the area so when I can't be with them they are safely in their run.  They seem like happy chickens.

July - happy garden chickens

What made me write this post after we've had the girls so long? I was lying in bed last night pondering their ability to think and remember. They certainly know who I am (and the family for that matter). They know that the saucepan means they're getting a treat (pasta, rice or potatoes); they know that when I get a handful of grain it's time to go into their run (I use that to entice them in); they know that the spade means I'm digging and will uncover worms and insects for them. They clearly remember a lot of day to day things... but do they remember life in the battery farm? I hope not!

New Chicken Coop

I thought I'd report back on my hunt for a chicken coop. After lots of research I'd decided on a relatively cheap (about £100) wooden coop with a smallish run that I could extend. I told my partner (and purchaser of the coop) about my choice and he promptly told me I had to think very carefully about the purchase and set about redoing my research (men!).

Anyway, he booked us in to visit Southmead poultry near Leatherhead. The very helpful lady explained all about keeping chickens, talked us through the pros and cons of wooden and plastic (eglu) coops and sent us on our way with lots of questions answered and even more to think about.

After a couple of days pondering we finally decided. We didn't fancy spraying the coop weekly with red mite killer so we decided on a Eglu go. It seems like the healthier (for the chickens) and low maintenance option. I hadn't seriously considered one of these before as I thought they were too small for 3 hens (and too expensive). But the chicken lady seem to think that it was the size of the run that's important and the coop should be cosy (if put in a big space they'll huddle together in one corner) and David was happy to pay for a good coop.

So we have an Eglu go and are getting run extentions to give the chooks lots space when they are not out and about free ranging. I'm going to keep the girls in my garden to start with whilst they get used to life outside the cage and will then move them to the allotment where they are to spend their life ridding me of slugs, providing manure for my compost and eggs for my breakfast and generally entertaining us and hopefully having a fab time to make up for their bad start in life!

I'll post some pics when the girls arrive!