Chickens in the Backyard

Chickens in my backyard make it come alive. It is always exciting when you go to hang the washing on the line to pop on over to the chicken house and see what they are up to.

They are usually waiting for me to let them out to scratch around.

I usually let the hens out around midday. By then most of the eggs have been laid.

 

Chicky Bid has a Hollyhock leaf for a Roof

One little Chicky Bid tricked me this year though. She just completely disappeared. I could not see her any where. Dear One and I kept checking under all the bushes in the garden and it was about 10 days before we found her nest.

She had hidden away in my cutting garden. It is north facing and very sheltered. She has a hollyhock leaf 20cm in diameter for her roof. How sweet. Well chosen Little One.

She had stashed 10 eggs here in her beautiful little nest. Little did she know that her eggs would never hatch as they were not fertile (we don't have a rooster).

So we took a trip to a farm and purchased a dozen bantam eggs. These are from five different breeds so we are hoping we get a few pretty hens. Twelve days to go.

Chickens and their Mother and their House

Little One was only a chicken herself this time last year. She is one of the orange ones in the photo. They are called Buff (the colour) Pekins. We still have her and her sister and a funny little white Silkie which was in the same batch.

Here they are with their hatching mother on the left, the hen house top right, our Silkie bantam and a batch of last years chicks.