MJ's little flock

[Aussie-Chookmum]

Here's another progress pic.

Before

Now

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I might have to make a replacement upper door because the wood warped.

And there's no mesh available until Thursday. So the funrun will remain unfinished for a while yet. I'm a little disappointed truth be told but the hens are enjoying the wider ranging.

Brilliant layout with the Jacaranda in the middle. It will give some nice shade in a few years.
In the mean time you could put some flowers or herbs around it, but you'd have to fence it off from the chooks.

 

[El Paso Linda]

Mary

Mary is a black Australorp. She is the prettiest of my three chickens with iridescent black plumage and big black eyes that go blink-blink in a very charming way.

Favourite hobby: drinking. Mary is a waterholic.

Favourite saying: wohr-wohr

Rank: formerly Lieutenant, now Captain. Captain's rank was obtained by strategically using her weight, agility and determination to obtain the top spot on the roost from the disgraced former Captain, Janet.

Named after: Mary is named after Mary Kopscanyi. Mary Kopscanyi was my Nana's great-niece. Mary showed me kindness and love from the day I was born until the day she died. Her house is across the street from my house (both houses were built at the same time by the same person - my great-great uncle) but it is now owned by a lovely young family of four. Mary's house was built for her grandmother, Sarah, who was my grandmother's oldest sister. Tragically, Mary's mother died young, so Sarah provided Mary with a loving home and family life. Mary passed away quite suddenly in 2016, although she was well into her 80s. Her husband, Frank, died in 2017. They are both survived by their daughter Elizabeth who I don't call often enough. I'll call her today. Mary the chicken helps me keep Mary Kopscanyi's memory alive.

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For background, here are the other profiles.

• Janet
• Sandy
• Ivy
• Peggy
• And Blossom

Beautiful chicken.

 

[MaryJanet]

Beautiful chicken.

As she's right behind me I told her you said she was beautiful and she said "brrr br br" which breaks down to "thank you"

 

[MaryJanet]

Brilliant layout with the Jacaranda in the middle. It will give some nice shade in a few years.
In the mean time you could put some flowers or herbs around it, but you'd have to fence it off from the chooks.

That's a good idea

 

[MaryJanet]

Asking the nursery people is always a good idea. ☺ Just keep in mind what you want the plants for eg. shade, fruit, flowers, scented foliage or cover.

The herbs my chooks like the most are comfrey and flat leafed or Italian parsley. They both like full sun.

Here are some pics of my set up.

I basically used chicken wire to fence off a long Northern corner of my yard. It is on a gentle slope. There are two "gates", marked by red arrows. Top gate on the left and bottom gate on the right. The big tree to the left of middle is a Bay tree (Laurus nobilis) with a Chinese lantern (Abutilon sp) under planted about 1.5m away. This is where the chooks spend most of their time when confined in the run.
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It's a bit hard to see but these are the exposed tangle of roots and layered stems of the Chinese lantern where the girls have been scratching and having dust baths.
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Deana for scale
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These are the leaves and flowers of the Chinese lantern bush
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A close up of a flower
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To left side of the run, outside of the chicken wire, I have made a herb bed containing comfrey and wormwood (closest to the wire), parsley, marigold, basil, sage, lavender, nasturtium, yarrow, and other bibs and bobs. It gets full sun for at least 6 hours a day. The girls can pick at things through the wire without digging it up.
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Here is my caged blueberry bush (blue arrow) shaded by another, smaller Chinese lantern bush (red arrow). I planted the blueberry as tube stock a couple of years ago and it has really only started shooting up this summer. I wonder if it is because I have been emptying the contents of the chicken coop on it most days?
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I hope this gives you some ideas for your Funrun MJ. Enjoy the journey!

Edit. One of the wormwood bushes growing through the fence.

Thanks so much ACM! The chinese lantern is particularly gorgeous. I'll have a careful think about what you've planted and the conditions in the yard then come up with a plan.

 

[MaryJanet]

I like the veggie garden idea. Looks like you have lots of sun there. Will they be raised beds?

I've heard good things about these, but I haven't used one myself.

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Or make your own with left over building material.
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I think I'm really enjoying your build and planning too MJ!

The veggie sections are squares and my gardener says sow directly into the soil (no raised beds) but as the soil is sand, I'm not sure that would work. Also depending on how I fill them, raised beds would retain water better than sand can.

So anyway, I'll use removable boards to make the sides of raised beds and as the sand gradually improves the gardener can try sowing into the soil.

 

[rjohns39]

Good evening folks

 

[Grammy60]

Good evening MJ and everyone Looking really good MJ

 

[MaryJanet]

Good evening folks

Good evening MJ and everyone Looking really good MJ

Good morning thank you! How are you feeling today?

 

[Ribh]

MJ, did I miss Saturday breakfast or are you having a Sabbatical from that? I'm having trouble keeping up everywhere just now & would hate to have missed one of your lovely cups.