Fowl Play

quick update

2009-06-18T13:36:00.008+01:00

Since the sad news of my last post here's a long overdue update...
Both other hens are fine and don't seem phased at all by the loss of their little pal. They've not missed a laying day for a good while now so clearly not egg bound at all.
We do plan to get two more chickens in the near future but we're a little concerned how the pecking order thing will work out.

I've now also instigated a further extension - a roll of chicken wire supported by bamboo rods which can be easily pushed into the ground. It just gives them more space to run around. A bit more free-range if you like... We only use this when we're around in the kitchen or garden particulary now that the foxes have had cubs. More hungry mouths to feed.

Sad news

2009-05-21T14:03:00.008+01:00

Well. Since my last post on 11th April things have been going very smoothly. Egg production has been excellent averaging around 19 per week. Not bad for three chickens, We had one glorious run of 21 days with 3 every day and a rather large blue egg (pic above) to match our large brown one - not quite so big but impressive nonetheless Marvellous! To date we've had around 380 cracking eggs.

Then on Sunday our blue egg layer (the Heritage skyline for the officionados) didn't lay. Nothing unusual there. But it happened again on Mon & Tuesday. I called Kirsty our specialist who said that it happens now and again. Yesterday she was clearly looking for somewhere to lay but nothing was forthcoming. (The other two were laying as normal).

This morning we found her dead - literally fallen off her perch. An ex-chicken etc etc. After the initial shock we contacted Kirsty again. She had a stuck egg (the chicken not Kirsty). Apparently its not uncommon but what a way to go! The other two are fine. It's our first major hurdle and one which our poor chicken couldn't get over... We're looking into the causes and how to avoid again...

Monster

2009-04-11T17:17:00.007+01:00

The main news from the Olympic chickens is this monster egg laid today Saturday 11th April. Ouch. We're wondering how this chicken (the white one we think) knew it was easter? Answers on a postcard please.

We had our very first 'no egg' day last week with 54 eggs delivered since last post (total 184) and our friends have taken the plunge and now have three chickens. Brilliant.

Hello again

2009-03-22T21:30:00.030Z

Long time no speak...

The truth is that everything is going smoothly. Routine established. Chickens healthy, Eggs lovely... and nothing really to write about. I could bore you about the possibility of mites or another attempt by a fox to get in or that we bought different feeders or that we're thinking of extending the run again. Or that the one that lays the blue eggs is very timid.

We had some friends over this afternoon who are contemplating keeping chickens. I think they'd made their minds up already but if we helped push them over the edge then I'm happy. I can't imagine not having them and I'm already looking for houses with bigger gardens. Well, not really but it does get you thinking...

The Guardian ran a piece last Saturday in their Money section on Chickens which was great even though it did make it sound more expensive than it needs to be.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2009/mar/14/producing-eggs-fruit-veg-honey

If you're in it to make money then I wouldn't bother, though I did hear a rumour that you can earn a lot of cash by squeezing a large number of chickens into a small space.

Then this week in the letters page one miserable soul who, because of the fox threat, reckoned and I quote "The hens would not last week without adequate fencing." Well maybe so (not really) but if we all lived by this mantra then bugger all would get done. And if the fox gets the chickens then we tighten security a bit then get some more chooks. Or maybe not.

Our garden is not "a stinking muddy patch" to quote the miserabalist Guardian letter writer. Chicken keeping is clearly something you 'get' or don't 'get' The letter writer didn't, but if you do and are concerned about the everyday practicalities then don't be. Just get on with it.

Every day we get eggs. 29 since I last posted 11 days ago. That's 130 since our first on January 17th. Normally we get three a day. Sometimes two and very occasionally one. From our own chickens. It's fantastic. Also - to date we've given a few to our neighbours to keep 'em sweet and sold 16 (in batches of 4) to various friends for a pound a pop so we're even getting a return on our investment. Bernard Matthews look out.

Three months ago when we first had the idea it seemed like a fairly major undertaking. Now its simply part of our lives. Would I recommend it? What do you think?

101 not out

2009-03-11T14:42:00.009Z

We reached our 100th egg today. Well done ladies!

4th March 3 eggs
5th March 3 eggs
6th march 1 (brown)egg
7th March 3 eggs
8th march 3 eggs
9th March 3 eggs
10th march 3 eggs
11th march 3 eggs

Total to date 101

Egg Bound

2009-03-03T17:54:00.003Z

Thurs 26th Feb 3 eggs
Fri 27th Feb 3 eggs
Sat 28th Feb 2 (brown) eggs by 8.20 am
Sun March 1st 3 eggs by 8.30 am
Mon March 2nd 3 eggs
Tues March 3rd 3 eggs

Blimey!

79 in total

Egg production at full throttle

2009-02-25T09:02:00.011Z

Since I last posted (been working away for a week) we've had 25 eggs plus two without shells!

Also last night we had our first serious attempt by a fox to dig into the run - see pic. Not sure why he stopped but he didn't get that far. Which isn't to say that it's not worrying - probably need to put a few paving slabs down so it becomes impossible to dig under. Or maybe review our decision to put the run on the garden? Moving the chicken house back to the concrete and extending the run into the garden might be the best choice to keep them safe at night?

Total eggs 62.

Blue Valentine

2009-02-14T15:00:00.009Z

Valentines day and a fantastic present in the shape of a brilliant blue egg. ALL three birds are now laying...

AND today saw our first three egg day. Really motoring now.

So >
12th Feb - 2 eggs
13th Feb - 2 eggs
14th Feb - 3 eggs

Total to date 37

Go to work on an egg (again)

2009-02-11T21:03:00.015Z

Mon 9th Feb 2 eggs
Tues 10th 2 eggs
Wed 11th 1 egg

Total to date 30

This from the BBC website today 11th Feb. Clearly our timing is
im-peck-able...

"A University of Surrey team has said that most people could eat as many eggs as they wanted without damaging their health. The researchers, who analysed several studies of egg nutrition, said the idea that eating more than three eggs a week was bad for you was still widespread. But they said that was a misconception based on out-of-date evidence.

Researcher Professor Bruce Griffin said eggs were actually a key part of a healthy diet, as they were particularly packed full of nutrients."

We know. We know! Have they just realised?

Still; I'm pleased they caught up...

[For those who may not know "Go to work on an Egg" was the slogan for a 1960's ad campaign starring a grumpy Tony Hancock - take a look - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1HgVb6AHmM. Of course I'm far too young to remember it...

Since we last spoke...

2009-02-08T20:48:00.014Z

Snow has disappeared (remnants of garden snowman still hang around)

Foxes heard on 4 or 5 nights
Chickens still alive - 3
Chickens Cleaned out 3 times
Eggs laid - 9

Total eggs to date - 25

2009-02-02T09:45:00.013Z

Well. They survived the fox on Saturday night and the snow last night and produced a 15th egg this morning. What was I worrying about? They are bit freaked by the snow though.

Quick update 12.18pm - 16th egg laid

More eggs. A bigger run. A predator

2009-01-31T17:08:00.008Z

Exploring the new extension

Two eggs today + erection of extended run
Total eggs 14 though there are fears that we may not reach 15 or 16.

For no real reason at about 7pm I just thought I'd check all was well only to discover a fox sniffing around on top of the run. I suppose having spent most of the day with the chickens running around in the garden (and being quite vocal at egg laying time) the fox became very aware of the availability of tasty meal. I wonder if it's merely a matter of time?

Dozen

2009-01-30T20:35:00.008Z

Thursday 29th January 1 brown egg (NERA)
Friday 30th January 1 egg (Amber) = 12 in total
We've made a dozen eggs!

Heres half of them!

Tuesday was another Two Egg day

2009-01-28T22:03:00.003Z

Tuesday 27th Jan two eggs again.

Wednesday 28th Jan nothing today but didn't expect any after yesterday's exertions. Apparently the egg making process takes minimum 25 hours (can anybody advise if I'm wrong?)

Total eggs to date =10 Not bad considering I wasn't really expecting anything 'til about now-ish.

Found out that our second layer is the Amber (the white one) so - two laying, one to go...

Began work today on constructing a simple coop extension. Feeling a little guilty about the limited space they have when they are 'in' and when I'm not around to let them roam the garden. Will post some pics of my brilliant woodwork skills soon.

Quick Update

2009-01-26T11:31:00.004Z

pic NOT to scale All eggs similar size!

I know they're only eggs but our chickens laid them...

Saturday 24 January 2009 - no eggs

Sunday 25th January 2 eggs - our first two egg day

Think we have a new layer as one new egg is larger & faintly speckled)

Monday 26th January 1 egg - speckled again

Eggs to date - 8 well on our way to our first dozen

Costs this week 2 bags corn - £1.00

In The Blood

2009-01-22T16:52:00.006Z

I'm feeling all web savvy and hi-tech as I sit on a train writing this yet feeling strong links to the past. I'm on my way back to London after a short visit to my dad in the north of England. We spent a happy couple of hours looking through the old photos. As you do.

We came across this one above. Previously unseen by me and taken in the early 1960's it's of my Aunt and cousins on their farm in Llansoy, South Wales. Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't they chickens? Clearly it's in the blood.

Eggs to date - 4

and again

2009-01-19T17:12:00.011Z

Third egg yesterday. Aren't chickens brilliant?

There's a weirdness to all of this. Even us townies know where eggs come from. We probably eat an egg in one form or another every day, yet there's a fundamental thing about being involved in part of that process in no matter how small a way.

The look on Ruby's (aged 5) face said it all. When we opened the nest box and discovered the first egg and she ran off through the house shouting to mum at the top of her voice THEY'VE LAID AN EGG!!

There's something deep.

Henhouse

2009-01-19T12:55:00.010Z

People have been asking what the chicken run/henhouse looks like in situ. It looks like this. Approx dimensions 1.8m long x 1.2m high 0.75m deep (6' x 4' x 2.5' for older generation readers like me)

Bottom picture is of cutting the wire to put under the coop to stop foxes digging under. Not sure if they would do this but it seemed make sense. The morning after we installed the wire we got the first egg. Chickens felt more secure. Obviously.

Then it happened again

2009-01-18T17:39:00.008Z

...and on Sunday January 18th the miracle has happened again. How do they do that? A posting from Kirsty at HensforHomes informs us that it's from the Bovans Nera (black one) so well done Nera! Hope you appreciate the 'farmhouse' gingham tea-towel.

Frying pan

2009-01-18T17:08:00.004Z

...so we ate that one and it was delicious...

EGG!

2009-01-17T14:02:00.005Z

Well. 23 nights after bringing them home and much earlier than we were led to expect, here it is. No idea who laid it...

This thing works!

Unexpected problems

2009-01-13T22:45:00.019Z

...and the rolling pin wouldn't touch it so I had to use a hammer.

When we bought our starter pack of 3 chickens + woodchips, feed, feeders, grit, 'how to look after chickens' leaflet etc etc there was also a bag of mixed corn. So what?

Well this bag of corn soon became the best weapon in my armoury - a failsafe method of enticing the blighters back into the coop after a brief sojourn in the garden. They love it (you can see them tucking in on the video a couple of posts back). It soon ran out however and a trip to the local pet shop for more corn was called for. This new stuff just isn't good enough however and I found myself subtley stalking the bovans nera (black with gold neck) round the garden via various piles of leaves and gnarly bushes to get her back in. Once I'd extracted the thorns from my flesh I emailed Kirsty (www.hensforhomes.co.uk) to find out why they wouldn't eat the new stuff.

What they need is mixed corn and what I'd bought was straightforward corn (still in the husk) and it's too hard for them to get into. Not one to waste a quid I set about the new corn with a rolling pin and began to see it from the chickens point of view. The good stuff in corn is pretty hard to get into and the rolling pin wouldn't touch it so I had to use a hammer...

Fox

2009-01-11T20:10:00.027Z

One consideration which is always at the back, and often at the front of our minds has been the threat from foxes.

Yesterday we moved the coop off the concrete base next to the back door and onto the garden. This is to give the chickens a more exciting living environment when they're cooped up, which lets face it is most of the day (or until we invest in a chicken run). They can root around under foot digging up grubs and insects and generally doing other chickeny things - far more exciting than mooching around on a woodchip covered concrete floor. White chicken promptly dug a hole and had a full-on dirt bath so we clearly did the right thing but...

This move has posed a problem. Even the slyest fox would struggle to dig under a concrete path whilst even a flippin' chicken can dig under the soil to get out of a coop. Every night we hear the sound of foxes licking their lips.

Some of you may be thinking - is this really a threat? The answer is yes. A family of foxes live in the garden next-door-but-one (photos above) . At the weekend we were sitting in our dining room whilst the chickens were enjoying a few minutes r&r outside the coop in the garden when a fox trotted nonchalantly through the garden. I have moved faster but it was a long time ago. However, my lythe athleticism was enough and I was able to head him (her) off at the pass.

All Quiet on the East End Front

2009-01-11T14:35:00.013Z

It's been a quiet week in the Eastend... It's been much colder as I'm sure you don't need me to tell you and a frankly if the birds can survive outside in this sort of weather then there's nothing to worry about. Apparently it fell to -8° one night last week.

I'm really amazed at how quickly a routine has developed and how soon this has all become an integral part of home life. The chickens seem to happily co-exist and I've yet to see any pecking order develop. Once out of the coop they're happy to scratch about the garden pecking away at the scrubby grass and shrubs. They do seem to be spooked by anything bigger than a blackbird though and scuttle away for cover every five minutes.

One unexpected benefit has been the return of other bird life to the garden. The neighbourhood cats (plenty of 'em) are unusually tentative and the birds are taking advantage. Great Tits, blue tits and the odd Robin are regular visitors, plus the usual blackbirds of course. I'm pretty sure I saw a Coal tit the other day too. Nice.

Costs this week:-
Large bag wood shavings £6.99
Bag of corn £1.00

How much does it all cost?

2008-12-31T09:55:00.011Z

Initial costs:-
Chicken coop for up to four birds -£169 free delivery. Internet purchase.

3 Chickens plus 'starter pack' from Kirsty at HensforHomes near Stansted - £95

Starter pack includes feed for 8 weeks, spice (to add to feed) lice powder, feed tray, water dispenser, woodshavings (for henhouse floor), small bag of grit which "should last forever" We could probably have bought this starter pack for less had we bought the items separately but we paid for the convenience.

You should know that there's fierce competition in the chicken coop style wars. There's the basic triangular 'ark', the trad, square chicken house and new kid on the block the 'eglu' - the ipod of chicken des res. This looks like a discarded imac computer sitting in your garden which I'm sure many will love but with birds and feed etc comes in at about double the price we paid for everything above.

Ongoing costs - not sure, but back of a fag packet calculations have shown that we should break even on egg production/consumption costs within the year.

Cold Weather

2008-12-30T08:27:00.017Z

8am, 30th December. I know it's not really cold but it is actually freezing in the house never mind the garden and I'm pleased that I was told (when I bought them and in everything I've read online) that chickens don't mind the cold. Just as well since the forecast says its not going to get any better. If they live outdoors in the winter they like nothing better than to roost overnight in trees...

I know not to seal any gaps in the coop as birds give off a lot of heat and moisture and if there's no ventilation it can cause respiratory problems. We're slowly getting to know some useful stuff.

When do we get eggs?

2008-12-29T11:54:00.004Z

We've been reliably informed that we should get our first eggs by the end of January. When they're fully up and running in the spring and summer we'll be getting between 15-20 eggs a week. Apparently the first ones may have soft shells or no shells or look like chicken droppings. Mmmm

I've also found out (I'm not making this up) that egg colour depends on the colour of the earlobes. We're looking forward to brown, white and blue eggs. It's also a handy way of showing who's not pulling their weight in the laying department.

Why Keep Chickens?

2008-12-29T00:16:00.009Z

Why Keep Chickens? Here's a short version.

We live in Hackney- urban wasteland, 'up and coming', Olympic village?. Not, I imagine, top of the list for urban garden farms but we wanted to give it a go.

We're not eco warriors. We ride bikes AND drive a car. But we want to bring up our kids (Ruby aged 5 and one on the way) knowing that:-

1) vegetables come from the ground,
2) if you want to eat bacon you have to kill a pig, and
3) eggs come from the backside of a chicken.

We won't be attempting number 2 in our garden but felt 1 was relatively easy and thought we'd give 3 a go as well. After wiping the poo from our shoes we might have some fun on the way.

The aim here is to share our ups and downs and... well that's it really.

thanks
Geoff (over 45), Sarah (well under 40), Ruby (over 5) & Anna (over 20).

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-28T21:31:00.001Z

6.30am Christmas day. First things first. I dash downstairs to make sure they're in one piece. The prowling fox is not so cunning after all. They have survived the night - Merry Christmas Chickens!

Now we face our first problem. Family calls and we're off to Banbury for Christmas festivities for the day and - and here's the problem - the night. We make sure there's enough food and water, leave a treat of marmite and toast, (yes really), and ask our good neighbours to send us text updates. They do and everything is fine.

We're back on Boxing day afternoon and they're in great form. We needn't have worried. A well earned bottle of wine for the neighbours AND we had a lovely Christmas. This chicken keeping lark is easy...

Settling In

2008-12-28T18:18:00.000Z

The wood shavings are down, the lice powder is dusted into nooks and crannies, the food pellets and water are in place. We gingerly open the boxes and put the three, surprisingly placid, chickens (Kirsty taught us how to hold them) into their new home. There must be something else we need, something else we should have done, something else we should have bought? We're not really sure what to do now, so we watch.

We watch them poo. And we address the thorny issue of names. They're not pets so should we call them anything? They poo some more. I'd call them 'One', 'Two' and 'Three'. Ruby puts forward 'Glitterball', 'Pancake' and 'Isabelle', names she has also suggested for our impending new human arrival. More pooing ensues and Sarah comes up with 'The Supremes'. We decide not to decide on names yet.

It's getting dark so we close their door. We're sure the fox will get them so we barricade them in with boxes, stepladders and upturned garden furniture. Not that we're paranoid.

Christmas Day tomorrow.

In The Beginning - Christmas Eve 2008

2008-12-28T16:36:00.001Z

Christmas Eve 2008, we're in our wellies in a muddy field close to Stansted airport and we've chosen a Nera, a Gingernut and an Amber. Or at least I think we have*. I never wanted a white one myself but Ruby (5) insists and I know better than to argue. Sarah (who's idea this whole venture was) doesn't care what colour they are as long as the eggs are large and tasty.

Kirsty, the nice lady at www.hens4homes.co.uk has sold us the three hens along with woodchips, feed, feeders, grit and other essential gubbins. She's also filled our heads with so much information about feed times, chicken spice, chicken poo, pellets versus mash, worms, lice and mites, that we've forgotten everything we knew. But we DO now know with great certainty the answer to the eternal question... CHICKENS came first.

Back home in Hackney the newly assembled, internet purchased, henhouse awaits.

* So much info has gone in and out of my head I'm not sure anymore. This info may change...