Today I set up sweet pea, runner bean and pea supports, and organised in my mind this years allotment planting. By erecting a few bamboo poles, the whole character of the field has changed from muddy brown winter moorland into a miniature farm! Chris' old white plastic electric fence poles (the ones he had when he owned Pippa), have come in handy and will support several rows of doubled chicken wire. I will plant pea seedlings in the centre of these structures, hopefully the chicken wire will support and protect the seedling from eager beaks.
I have no broody hens at the moment but I bet it won't be too long! Last year several of these moody broodies caught me unawares, so this year I have set up a separate two enclosures in which to house them. Sue and old school friend has today donated her children's' old rabbit hutch, which will make an untidy but safe nursery for a hen and her chicks
The field now looks like an Ukrainian village circa 1850! The ten motley hen houses and the newly painted pig house cover the entire space now, and all that is missing is chimney smoke and a couple of tiny old ladies with shawls and no teeth!! Anyhow,I have decided to organise a basic "How to look after chickens beginner course" to be held hopefully at the village hall over a four/five week period ! I suspect there will be a demand from the ever greener, credit crunch masses, for some friendly guidance and information on poultry care, so I am presently designing some posters to test the waters!
I like the way you have arranged the allotment, you did a great job and I wish I had that much space to work with. I like also the way we can see the whole gang. I think you are lucky in that your chickens can stay out almost all year, you even have green grass. My girls went out finally but only because I cleared their pen, there is still snow covering most of the ground here.
ReplyDelete