Well - what can I say? We missed our own fresh eggs too much. We missed having them in the garden. We got new hens. Half a dozen 17 week old Hy-line pullets from a wonderful smallholding just outside Biggar. They were no more than chicks really - had never been on grass - never even been outside. We took them home like new parents with a baby and tucked them up in the hen hut. Old Jenny paced up and down and round and round all day wondering what was next. In the late afternoon we opened the hatch and.... nothing! They were all piled up on top of each other in a corner of the hut, bless them. Eventually the bravest one poked her beak out and about an hour later they were all timidly nosing around. We left them to it and when we went to shut them in, Jenny was on her usual perch, but the babies were cosied up under the plum tree which is next to the hut. This was the Thursday - by Sunday these babies had turned into hens. They know where their bed is, their feathers are sleeker and their combs are more obvious - I think we will be getting eggs any day now. It feels like they have always been here.
Tuesday 7 April 2009
A Week's Work (Part 3 Hens)
Well - what can I say? We missed our own fresh eggs too much. We missed having them in the garden. We got new hens. Half a dozen 17 week old Hy-line pullets from a wonderful smallholding just outside Biggar. They were no more than chicks really - had never been on grass - never even been outside. We took them home like new parents with a baby and tucked them up in the hen hut. Old Jenny paced up and down and round and round all day wondering what was next. In the late afternoon we opened the hatch and.... nothing! They were all piled up on top of each other in a corner of the hut, bless them. Eventually the bravest one poked her beak out and about an hour later they were all timidly nosing around. We left them to it and when we went to shut them in, Jenny was on her usual perch, but the babies were cosied up under the plum tree which is next to the hut. This was the Thursday - by Sunday these babies had turned into hens. They know where their bed is, their feathers are sleeker and their combs are more obvious - I think we will be getting eggs any day now. It feels like they have always been here.
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It would seem that hens are rather addictive! I can't imagine being without our ladies now. It must be lovely seeing them exploring the big wide world :)
ReplyDeleteThey are settling in nicely - showing us who's boss! Good to have them again, but I had forgotten about the poop on the doorstep bit :)
ReplyDeleteAww how lovely-we are thinking about getting some geese at some point, perhaps in a years time. Glad the hens seem happy :-)
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