Introducing my lovely little urban backyard hens
Saturday, 10 January 2009
I have just joined in on Rhonda's first "biggest kitchen table" chat happening over at down--to--earth regarding keeping chickens. Thought it would be a good time to introduce my girls...
We have a very small backyard, so the area dedicated to chickens and garden is only 10 x 10 m. We have a system of four raised garden beds and one chicken tractor that fits on top. Once a crop is finished we move the chook tractor onto it and the chickens prepare the garden for the next sowing.
We have 5 Bantam hens: 2 Old English Game (Tara and Mable), 2 Langshan (Lollie and Dunno (named by a grumpy child unenthusiastic about helping out with naming)), and Wanda (who wandered into a friend's backyard one day). They are all around 4 years old now so we no longer get many eggs (see today's lone offering above). I am planning to add a few hens to the flock and asked over at the chook kitchen table chat for a suggestion of a good laying Bantam breed. Suggestions?
Thinking of getting backyard chooks? I say go for it. They are lovely to watch, help out in the garden, and best of all are the best toddler tantrum stopper. We can almost always stop a Little Eco tantrum with "want to feed the chooks"....