We’ve tried with a few chickens over the past 8 months, starting with a rooster and a hen which had to be kept in a hutch to save them being mauled by the dog! The rooster, as pretty as he was, didn’t last long. He was just too vocal with no apparent schedule to its peace-shattering arias which erupted anywhere between 11pm and 5am each night. So, we traded him in for another hen affectionately known as “Brown hen”. The hens took about a month to settle in and start laying, producing about 3 eggs each every 4 days. “White hen” popped her clogs not long after “Brown hen” had arrived and was swiftly replaced by “Black hen” a.k.a. chicken-zilla, a road-runner chicken of enormous proportions whose terds were indiscernible in size from those of the dog 🙂
The chickens became free range. The size of their eggs improved and their yolks swiftly turned to a rich orange colour. This coincided with their new game, intuitively entitled “shit on the veranda” which, despite its name did not preclude the driveway, paths, floor mats and any other area they suspect might be trodden into the house… an aspect which I have no doubt they take great delight in.
Regardless, its a pleasure to have a constant supply of super fresh free range eggs.
Having been unable to locate “Black hen” the last few nights, and suspecting she might be destined for the pot (not having laid any eggs since she arrived!) we found her nesting spot in a hedge next to the shed, together with 18 beautiful eggs she had been stowing for the last few weeks 🙂
