- Oct 24, 2013
- 10
- 1
- 22
We live on the edge of a suburban forest in Wellington, New Zealand. We also keep bees and have organic gardens. My husband and i believe in a sustainable lifestyle for our children. We have 5 hens, 5 baby chicks and 14 fertile eggs at the mo.
The 27th of this month is marks the day a year ago that we got our first chooks. At first i got them for their egg production and didnt then know just how much id love them like i do.
We found it very hard at the time, and i did many many phone calls and internet searches, to find the breeds we wanted months before getting our 1st hens - i think i was looking at the wrong time of year. I couldn't wait any longer and settled for two shavers even tho i had my heart set on Silver Laced Wynadottes and Plymouth Rocks. I think like mix breed dogs, they may not have the best looks but make up for in personalities. Even now having a range of pure breeds I don't think I could ever get rid of my two ''common girls'', Bok Choy and Princess Layer. They let me pick them up, they are so friendly and smart. One time they came up to the lounge window and flapped up to see if anyone was sitting inside and when they saw we were in there, they came up and tapped on the front door with their beaks, so we let them in (so adorable!) 6 months after getting the shavers was the local Poultry Show where i was hoping to find a SLW. Unforntuatly there were none available, so I brought Araucana hen and an Arauana pullet. A week later i brought a lovely docile Plymouth Rock from Trade Me. I love the Araucana's pastel blue eggs, but both of mine are a little nuts, like A LOT nuts. People have described them as ''quirky'' - mine are bat **** crazy! Ive had them for months now and they are not very friendly but ill keep loving them. I have also joined my my local Poultry Club and have been enjoying the monthly meetings and contacts to people with so much knowledge.
This spring my brothers Orpington went broody, so we ''borrowed'' her and put her in her own little ''maternity ward'' with some Barnevelder eggs under her. We had 6 born last Saturday - 5/6 alive. She is a great mum, i spend all my time watching them and no time doing housework this week!
Our Araucana hen has gone broody this week also. So i (finally) have ordered 10 SLW eggs, plus was given 4 Astrolorp eggs too. Im not too sure if 14 eggs are too many to put under her (maybe 12...but she is quite large) but we have just brought another ''maternity ward'' for her. Fingers crosses - over a year later, i will FINALLY get the SLW's that i have been wanting in 3 weeks time!
On top of that all happening, my husband - a builder, is making an amazing new coop to house the growing flock. The old coop will be used as ''The Nursery'' and then later kept as an infirmary (just in case). All of our ideas and inspiration for the coop we took from Pintrest. I will try an post photos! But it features:
* Walk in for easy cleaning
* Windows, with mesh behind so they cant get out, with shutters
* Planter boxes with flowers under the windows (for cuteness)
* Cladded finish, fully lined
* Pull out poop tray under the roost for easy cleaning, just pull and dump the poop
* Pull out trays in the nesting boxes for easy cleaning
* Coop made from recycled Rimu 4x2 (that my husband got for free from a job site)
- its taken all of last weekend with the help of another friend who's a qualified builder and will take all of this weekend and he still thinks it wont be finished this weekend. Massive project, but so fun, the guys are loving it.
Anyway - i look forward to being a part of this community and reading lots of awesome and inspiring stories and information
The 27th of this month is marks the day a year ago that we got our first chooks. At first i got them for their egg production and didnt then know just how much id love them like i do.
We found it very hard at the time, and i did many many phone calls and internet searches, to find the breeds we wanted months before getting our 1st hens - i think i was looking at the wrong time of year. I couldn't wait any longer and settled for two shavers even tho i had my heart set on Silver Laced Wynadottes and Plymouth Rocks. I think like mix breed dogs, they may not have the best looks but make up for in personalities. Even now having a range of pure breeds I don't think I could ever get rid of my two ''common girls'', Bok Choy and Princess Layer. They let me pick them up, they are so friendly and smart. One time they came up to the lounge window and flapped up to see if anyone was sitting inside and when they saw we were in there, they came up and tapped on the front door with their beaks, so we let them in (so adorable!) 6 months after getting the shavers was the local Poultry Show where i was hoping to find a SLW. Unforntuatly there were none available, so I brought Araucana hen and an Arauana pullet. A week later i brought a lovely docile Plymouth Rock from Trade Me. I love the Araucana's pastel blue eggs, but both of mine are a little nuts, like A LOT nuts. People have described them as ''quirky'' - mine are bat **** crazy! Ive had them for months now and they are not very friendly but ill keep loving them. I have also joined my my local Poultry Club and have been enjoying the monthly meetings and contacts to people with so much knowledge.
This spring my brothers Orpington went broody, so we ''borrowed'' her and put her in her own little ''maternity ward'' with some Barnevelder eggs under her. We had 6 born last Saturday - 5/6 alive. She is a great mum, i spend all my time watching them and no time doing housework this week!
Our Araucana hen has gone broody this week also. So i (finally) have ordered 10 SLW eggs, plus was given 4 Astrolorp eggs too. Im not too sure if 14 eggs are too many to put under her (maybe 12...but she is quite large) but we have just brought another ''maternity ward'' for her. Fingers crosses - over a year later, i will FINALLY get the SLW's that i have been wanting in 3 weeks time!
On top of that all happening, my husband - a builder, is making an amazing new coop to house the growing flock. The old coop will be used as ''The Nursery'' and then later kept as an infirmary (just in case). All of our ideas and inspiration for the coop we took from Pintrest. I will try an post photos! But it features:
* Walk in for easy cleaning
* Windows, with mesh behind so they cant get out, with shutters
* Planter boxes with flowers under the windows (for cuteness)
* Cladded finish, fully lined
* Pull out poop tray under the roost for easy cleaning, just pull and dump the poop
* Pull out trays in the nesting boxes for easy cleaning
* Coop made from recycled Rimu 4x2 (that my husband got for free from a job site)
- its taken all of last weekend with the help of another friend who's a qualified builder and will take all of this weekend and he still thinks it wont be finished this weekend. Massive project, but so fun, the guys are loving it.
Anyway - i look forward to being a part of this community and reading lots of awesome and inspiring stories and information
I really loved your story. BYC has a section for "pictures and stories of my chickens," you should post there - I would love to hear your continuing chicken antics . Your love for you chooks really shines through.
