And onto the Chickens

We decided to get a recycled plastic Chicken House and this was erected very easily.  I thought this would be doing my eco - bit and also be easier to keep red mite free, as the only wood the chickens touch is their perches, so only one area to treat!

Finding chickens, again like the pigs, was difficult.  I must have rung 20 or more people who had all sold out of the type of chicken I wanted. In the end I found some Copper Black Hens quite nearby and we picked them up last week, 29th May 2013.  We decided to get  6 for now and they are 22 weeks old.

After being locked in for the recommended 24 hours, it took a couple of hours before anyone put their head out of the pophole!

Bit by bit they came out - these were the first two ...

and a third ...

and then there were four!

It wasn't until teatime that we actually saw all six birds!!

Aren't they gorgeous - black feathers with lovely golden, bronze and copper colours on their chest and round their neck.  The black on their backs looks like a deep green under the sun on some of the birds.

They came up to this corner as we were in the kitchen and this was the nearest point.