Monday 1 June 2009

Chickens Galore

Yes, they've arrived.

Ten lovely, slightly bedraggled ladies arrived at 6.30 on Sunday evening. Well you'd look bedraggled if you'd been jammed into a cat carrying basket (8 of them anyway, the two biggest were in their own little cardboard box), the exchange was done in Waitrose carpark, to save them from unnecessary time in the cars ... we are notoriously hard to find!  We quickly moved them into our much bigger box, placed them in the back of the car and headed for home.

Much interest was caused by the boxes and investigations had to be done. Meanwhile work continued on the chicken pen, although the house is all finished and secure, we wanted a cage around it to deter unwelcome night time visitors.

This doesn't sound like a lawn mower Mum!!

They are White Star Hybrids and approx. 70 weeks old, free range and organically reared.  The farmer that owned them hates to send his chickens to slaughter at the end of their commercial viable life so he gives a couple of nice ladies the opportunity to re-home as many as possible before the time is up, (this time they have rehomed 500 up to date and have a 2 week extension on the deadline as they have done SO well). Seemingly we should get about 4 eggs a week from each lady, we'll see!!

As soon as we had made the cage chicken safe we let them out of the boxes, just in time to enjoy a quick supper and explore their immediate surroundings. And boy can they eat, they cleared all the food, drank nearly all the water, I guess they had a hot journey from High Wycombe.

Archie (the cat) and Sophie were amazed by them and Sophie just ran round and round the pen until she was exhausted. Archie is being much more cautious after being chased by a pheasant earlier in the week, birdy retribution in my opinion for all the little birds he has brought to an early demise.

On opening the henhouse this morning I was greeted by 10 hungry ladies, eager to explore and one little contribution to the larder.

(A little update - by the end of day one we had five eggs.)


Sue xx

7 comments:

  1. oh I am so excited for you!

    chickens are such a pleasure, i really miss the ones i had as a kid! (one day... lol)

    Rose XXX

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  2. They are fab Sue, welcome to life with chooks, a constant source of amusement and I'm still thrilled every time I get to collect an egg - very clever stuff! Ours found a piece of bread that a bird had dropped yesterday - that was a good half hour running around the garden because the one that had the bread couldn't stop long enough to eat it as one of the others would pinch it away, then the chase was back on again!
    Thank you so much for the award, am off to pass it on now, take care Sarah x

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  3. How exciting.. I hope these ladies have managed to compose themselves now and reward you with more eggs for their lovely new des res home!

    Thank you so much Sue and husband for coming to say hello at the fair on Saturday.It was such a joy to meet so many friendly bloggers.. known and unknown.. and to put names to faces and faces to names..
    I am very glad that little Charlie dog went to a good home.. just don't let him loose amongst your hen harem..
    Love
    Michele

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  4. Fabby, Sue, well done on you for giving these feathered ladies a second chance. Looks like they'll be very happy. I do love a good henhouse!
    Hen x

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  5. I like your blog.I'm waiting for your new posts.

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  6. Fantastic Sue, I'm sure the ladies will be very happy in their new home. Is it boiled eggs and soldiers for breakfast?
    Bertie x

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  7. Fresh eggs ... how lovely!

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