After a rocky start, the first two weeks of chicken-keeping have delighted us. I’m happy to report that we continue to have three hens, all of whom seem totally healthy, and all of whom are certainly lots of fun to watch.
That’s Victoria in front—the chicken we revived after a rough trip home.
They do all kinds of silly things. They never use that ladder we built to come downstairs; they just hop down with a thud. They squeeze into nest boxes two at a time. They make hilarious croaking sounds that seem to mean "good morning." They take naps.
And, not silly at all, they lay two or three eggs every single day!
How do you like ’em?
The hens are easy to take care of, just like we’d been told. We give them some feed every day but they prefer bugs and grass, and they put themselves away for the night, roosting in a tight three-hen formation. It’s ridiculously cute.
Until yesterday, we had the coop positioned directly over one of our garden beds, the one that’s always performed the worst.
Hen(s) at work!
Just by going about their business, the chickens have been aerating and fertilizing the soil, not to mention eating grubs. This should improve that bed greatly. We love us a stacking function.
Now they have a new spot that they like much better. More on that in Homestead update parts two and three, coming soon!
