Chickens in the House!

Finally we have chickens. I had sent out a few emails and was waiting to hear from the first person to have chickens available. Yesterday whilst exploring a local garden centre I wandered into a 3g reception area, which is a rare event down here. My phone sprung into life and numerous emails arrived. One was from a lady called Bridget who runs Rooksbridge Poultry Farm  http://www.rooksbridgepoultry.com/ who had some brown hens called Loman Browns. A quick phone call and arrangements were made to collect them this morning. 

We were up early this morning and off we went to the farm. The hens were duly captured and deposited in a box ready to come home with us. 

As chicken novices we received some very helpful advice before we left and were soon on our way home confident that we sort of knew what we are doing. 

We were advised to keep the hens inside the house for today with some food and water so that they realised that it was home. From tomorrow we can let them out in the run every day and after about a week when they are settled we can let them out in the garden. 

The house was built and the run ready but it all needed a little bit of TLC before we put the ladies inside. A quick application of gravel and a grit pot looked very nice.

Then the inside. A nice straw bed, some wood shaving on the floor and just for today, the water and food dispensers, filled up and ready to go. 

Time to get the hens out. I haven't picked up hens often but had a quick lesson before we came home and have read one of my christmas presents, (The Haynes Manual of Chickens) from cover to cover, so time to try. 

No Problem. They were sitting quietly in a box though, it may be a bit different when they are running around in the garden and I have to catch them! 

In no time at all the ladies were in residence. 

You may be wondering why  I haven't mentioned names for them. We have chosen three names but we need to get them in the run so we can work out how to identify each hen, then we also need to know which is the dominant hen. Then we will name them and you will see why we waited.. 

Lots of other things  been going on but they deserved their own page so more another day.