Here on the croft we try and keep our little flock as chicken led as possible and only ever hatch eggs when a hen wants to sit.... and does little blossom ever like to sit!!
The hen is a mega mum..... although we're thinking of renaming her pram face as when her chicks are a few weeks old she likes to do her best to get back to getting laid by her foster son (eww)!
Anyway, as the flock stands we have one ex commercial layer (Sally... knocking on a bit now), two hybrids (Hillary and Nimah) given to us by someone who has surplus, Fluffy legs the cockerel, the two youngsters blossom hatched in April from her own eggs, and now two chicks from the hybrids eggs.
Currently the flock stands at nine, which is as many as I want for the orchard to house comfortably.
In the medium term though we plan on expanding the flock and splitting it into two.
From a permacultre point of view though we're busy re configuring their runs and housing.
One of the main things we want to do is have as many plants in their runs that they can eat as possible. This means more berry trees/bushes, herbs and salad leaves.
I also want to make areas that attract bugs/slugs ... this way between what they "forage" and what they get in veg scraps, bought in food should be kept to a minimal.
The plan is to have the chickens in the orchard from early summer to late autumn and then give them the run of the (nearly finished) fruit garden over the winter and spring.
This means they get to finish off any unripe/damaged fruit, scratch about for hibernating bugs and in the spring make a start on weed seedlings before moving back to the orchard.
(in all fairness its only an orchard in name as there's only two trees left.... *sigh*
Anyway, In the meantime, here's some pics!
The new broody run which means the chicks can go outside from day one, safe from cats, crows and the other chickens!! big enough to stand up in for easy maintenance.
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