CHICKEN TOWERS
When we are at home at the weekends and when the evenings are lighter, the hens free range in the garden.
When we're at work, they are confined to the run and coop.
This is Chicken Towers. Our garden is on the side of a steep valley, and this terrace seemed like a good place for the run and coop. We cannot see it from the house, so our view is not interupted. I would do it very differently if I was building it again. It's not as accessible as I would like and is difficult for me to clean, even access to the nest box is not as easy as it looks due to steep steps. In the foreground is an ivy clad wall and this is a steep drop of about 20 ft, I have nightmares that one day I'll slip off the edge. Many a hen has toppled over the edge, but they manage to do a wing assisted landing. They look very cross and confused mind you when it happens. There is nothing funnier than watching another hen trying to look over the edge to see what's happened.
This is Rosie, coming to see what I'm up to, followed by...............
Not that they think there might be some food on offer or anything!!
Now they can't make their minds up, shall we, shan't we...............well
They did and got locked into the run at 3.45, which is a little early but I didn't want to have to go down again.
12/02/05 Mark added this new door to the coop to provide
more light and hopefully extend the laying period of the girls.
They were not impressed, despite having a panoramic view
of the river (in flood currently) and the opposite valley.
Shades of Chicken Run
I found this tacked to the door inside the coop, "They're organised I tell you, they're plotting something!"
Coop Rules
1. Last one in closes the pop hole.
2. Last one out, switches off the light.
3. IF you do a pooh, please clear it up there’s nothing worse than treading in it.
4. The food in the feeder is for ALL of us, please allow others as much time as they need without pushing and shoving.
5. There is enough room on these perches without burrowing under somebody else’s wing. Spread out a bit.
6. Nest boxes are for laying eggs in, not for sleeping in McQueen.
7. Eggs are those oval shaped things that arrive in the nest from somewhere unknown to us, they are not to be eaten but you can keep
them warm sometimes.8.Do not fraternise with the big people. They are dangerous and are feeding us to gain our confidence and when we’re not looking they steal the eggs!
9. Please, don't forget your keys, it's really embarrassing to end up roosting on top of the coop or in the trees.
Today, 5/2/05, has been mild and sunny and I cleaned the coop out.
I suggested to Mark, that I might give the girls a rubber date stamp with a lion on, so we know which are the freshest eggs! He followed me out to tell me that it was a silly idea (
), as how would they know the date!!
I replied, I'll hang a calendar in with the above Coop Rules.