My partner said some months ago that we should get a chicken. We were driving through the hills and saw the various 'Eggs 4 Sale' or 'Chicken Poo' signs on the roadside and it got us talking. I did the usual 'yes dear maybe some day' and left it at that, but the idea was in her head and within a few hours of discussion, it had been decided that we would get not one chicken, but two!
I visited this forum often as a guest, and learned a lot about this new venture... although I wholeheartedly admit, we're still massive n00bs.
We bought a put-together-yourself coop from ebay, put our name in for a pair of pullets, and stumbled blindly in, learning and keeping one step ahead of the chickens development.
We have just received our first egg today. We have a pair of ISA Browns called Henny Penny and Hen Pecked (we decided on the names that first day in the hills, but had to wait to see who earned which title!).
They are happy little vegemites right now, and so are we. Proud mums indeed.
We put their egg next to the store bought eggs in the fridge and oh wow the difference in size! Which I knew would be the case as I had enjoyed backyard chicken eggs in the past, but still, a little flush of pride to actually see it and know its our hard work paying off.
I had read here that sometimes the first egg has a soft shell while they get their mineral intake right, but this one is perfect! I've been feeding them ground shell grit of washed store-bought eggs for a few weeks now, as we patiently waited for them to lay and bought each carton with a 'oh well one more carton to keep for when it finally starts!'.
I saw their bottoms fluffing and Penny in particular had begun to flush her comb deeper red. I had moved them into a nicer part of the yard under the fruit trees, and only last week expanded their little flatpacked coop using the frame of an old couch so they had a bit more space to stretch their legs. Eventually I'll expand it again.
Their grandmother (my mum has accepted the fact that she will only get grandkittens and grandchooks) gave them a big box of lettuce leftovers from the green grocers and it was the first time I've heard them be so audibly happy.
There's a big fuss over them now. I think the cat is going to be jealous soon.
I visited this forum often as a guest, and learned a lot about this new venture... although I wholeheartedly admit, we're still massive n00bs.
We bought a put-together-yourself coop from ebay, put our name in for a pair of pullets, and stumbled blindly in, learning and keeping one step ahead of the chickens development.
We have just received our first egg today. We have a pair of ISA Browns called Henny Penny and Hen Pecked (we decided on the names that first day in the hills, but had to wait to see who earned which title!).
They are happy little vegemites right now, and so are we. Proud mums indeed.
We put their egg next to the store bought eggs in the fridge and oh wow the difference in size! Which I knew would be the case as I had enjoyed backyard chicken eggs in the past, but still, a little flush of pride to actually see it and know its our hard work paying off.
I had read here that sometimes the first egg has a soft shell while they get their mineral intake right, but this one is perfect! I've been feeding them ground shell grit of washed store-bought eggs for a few weeks now, as we patiently waited for them to lay and bought each carton with a 'oh well one more carton to keep for when it finally starts!'.
I saw their bottoms fluffing and Penny in particular had begun to flush her comb deeper red. I had moved them into a nicer part of the yard under the fruit trees, and only last week expanded their little flatpacked coop using the frame of an old couch so they had a bit more space to stretch their legs. Eventually I'll expand it again.
Their grandmother (my mum has accepted the fact that she will only get grandkittens and grandchooks) gave them a big box of lettuce leftovers from the green grocers and it was the first time I've heard them be so audibly happy.
There's a big fuss over them now. I think the cat is going to be jealous soon.
