The Chicken Hilton Hotel
My beloved and I have been very busy over the bank holiday weekend (our cousins across the Atlantic will, of course, wonder what a bank holiday is—it’s when you get an extra day off work for no obvious reason at various times during the year—glad we, er, cleared that one up…).
We’ve built a huge (and I do mean HUGE) new enclosure for the chooks. They still have their original run inside it, so when it’s very muddy or otherwise grim in the weather department they will always have somewhere to shelter; plus, if we’re going to be away from the house, they won’t get to free-range within their new kingdom as there’s no roof, so keeping them in the original run on such days would mean they’re as secure as they can be in our absence.
We’ve also placed concrete paving slabs all around the run and their house, to increase protection against foxes. There’s a giant slowly decomposing log in the pen as well, which we turn over every once in a while so the chickens can devour the many things invariably found lurking underneath it.
Never say never where foxes are concerned, of course—but we like to think we’ve done everything possible. The new fencing is also moveable with some effort, and we will relocate the ladies every now and then (probably once or twice a year) to allow the ground to recover from their beaky ministrations. But having more space will hopefully mean they’re less immediately destructive, and spend less time sloshing around in mud and unmentionables. It’s likely they will significantly cut the number of slugs and bugs, and keep weeds down while removing any need to mow. All good stuff.
We will, however, have to disinfect the area every once in a while. No biggie.
I must add in closing that my beloved made the gate and did a fantastic job of it. Neither of us have ever attempted something like this before. And the girls love their newly expanded home!
tags: animals, battery hens, birds, chicken coop, chicken run, chickens, livestock, pets
7 comments on “The Chicken Hilton Hotel”
May 5th, 2008 at 10:09 pm
Nice job! I want to live there!
BTW, go see Iron Man. It’s more than just about stuff blowing up and Robert Downey, Jr. is amazing.
May 6th, 2008 at 8:13 am
Have you any garden left ! That is huge - We have had to confine the chooks to their run for crimes against Peas! - as you can imagine they are not overly impressed with that scenario and we have been thoroughly scolded despite extending their run another 4 ft - M is going to build a fence with gate across the garden to stop them being able to get onto the veg beds next weekend hopefully and then the Woodhill 4 can be released once more - because they have done a fantastic job of raking out all the thatch out of the long grass - which the local wild bird population have promptly stolen for their nests
May 6th, 2008 at 8:50 am
Yeah, wild birds love nicking moulted feathers as well as bits our girls rip up. And yes, we’ve still got loads of space–all we want to make use of is being made use of, and the remainder–about a third, excluding the composting area–is going to be set aside with meadow grasses and bark chippings to go wild until such time, maybe, as we decide we want to do anything with it.
Our most socialised hen, Galadriel–who is very needy and every time we’re around she wants to come for cuddles (yes, seriously)–was, until yesterday, committing crimes against our strawberries all the time. And she got to the point where she knew full well she wasn’t supposed to nick their leaves but could get other stuff. So she wanted the strawberries more than ever, and took to mad dashes during which she would raid a plant and run off cackling (I swear it was laughter!) with a leaf in her mouth as a trophy.
They seem to get cleverer the more they become familiar with us. x
May 6th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
Most def a Hilton and it looks like SunnyD has done a marvelous job with that gate
To see some ‘before’ pictures of this garden go to:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/15051749@N00/2226893970/in/set-72157603810119596/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/15051749@N00/2226892242/in/set-72157603810119596/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/15051749@N00/2226886328/in/set-72157603810119596/
These pictures were taken in January … before Spicy and his SunnyD did any work … you can barely recognise it as the same garden!
May 7th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
Looks like a lovely new home! I bet they are happy
Beautifu1 -> I tried clicking on you links, but it is asking for a password.
May 8th, 2008 at 7:20 am
@Sue: They are, very! Although they don’t get out into the big area until I’m in the garden with them or in the kitchen able to watch and hear them through the window. We’ve had no sign at all of any foxes in our area, but this is one of two most dangerous times of year. The parents are looking to feed their cubs, and later, in August, the male young are forcibly ejected into the world to fend for themselves and so that’s a dangerous time too, night or day. Keeping any outdoor pets –chickens, rabbits, etc–is always going to carry the risk but I’m doing all I can on a limited budget. If I had the money I’d be buying them an eglu cube, as they’re very secure but cost around £700 (which is ow-inducing)! x
May 8th, 2008 at 7:24 am
@Beautifu1: I think you’ve set those pics to be viewed my friends and family only, the folks you’ve added in to your account, so that’s why Sue can’t view them as you need to make specific pics publicly available. Me, I haven’t paid your Flickr subs for this year yet. The relatively small sum was due in March but I’ve simply not got the money right now to catch up. I will probably be able to pay end of this month, but so many more pressing things have come first. x
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