Interesting. That was exactly what I was thinking a couple years ago. My daughter’s friend was moving and needed a new home for her hens. I liked the idea: Grown hens, already laying chickens. I had been buying eggs from her for months, so I knew what I was getting…..just not what I was getting in to.
I had a feeling I would like it. I had no idea I would LOVE it. I’ve always had a homesteading, pioneering type spirit. I’ve enjoyed freezing or canning my own vegetables and making jams, jellies, preserves and pickles for over 45 years. I love baking sourdough bread from my starter and apple bread in the Fall, Cinnamon rolls at Christmas. Doesn’t that just feel like home sweet home? I think so. Plus: both my grandmothers had chickens…..so, why not? I couldn’t come up with a single reason. SO, I said yes!
(At the time my husband wasn’t so keen on the idea.) whatever.
Okay, I’m getting chickens. How many? I thought maybe 2 or 3, so I ordered a coop suitable for them….or so I thought. I was so happy when it arrived. It came in a kit and we had to put it together. But first I wanted to paint it white. I did.
My husband reinforced it with hardware cloth. He put the coop together….it was beautiful. And just in time. My hens were arriving the very next day. The man who wasn’t so keen on the idea…wanted them be safe. He went the extra mile to be sure. 🙂
The next day my sweet hens arrived. There were 5. Oh my. My pretty little coop was stretching to accommodate 3. There was nothing to do but put them in it. I had ordered a waterer and something to put the feed in. I had bought layer feed and pine shavings to put in the coop for them. I was all ready. Only I wasn’t ready enough.
That night, before going to bed, my husband and I went outside to check on them. Two were standing on the ladder that led into the coop. I was devastated. Poor girls had no place to sleep. This was not acceptable. My husband was as upset as I was.
Over the next week, I searched high and low for a coop to accommodate 5 hens. I finally found one on Facebook Market. It was brand new in the box, and half price. Yes, I’ll do that. After two days of sleeping on the ladder, the girls all had squeezed into the coop at night. Somehow they were able to do this every night. They didn’t know it but, I was about to give them a mansion by comparison. The new coop was big enough for 10 hens. I painted it white, too.
My husband built a stand to place the new coop up on, to raise it off the ground and also to have a place for the hens to get out of the sun and also out of the rain. This extended their space a great deal. I also had some old shutters that I added to the western side of the run to give them shade and protection from the hot Georgia afternoon sun. I painted them white.
I allow the girls out 45 minutes before their bedtime, to free range. We have found that chickens offer the nicest way to unwind after a busy day. After supper, my husband and I take our coffee, sit outside and watch them. I can’t tell you how relaxing it is. They are funny and smart and curious little creatures. And the drama. It’s the most fun.
Every night, right on schedule, my little ladies make their way to the coop and up their little ramp, into the coop and put themselves to bed. All I have to do is lock the door. No chasing chickens to go to bed. Thank goodness.
Although he wasn’t sure getting chickens was a good idea…now that we have them, my husband thanks me daily for getting chickens. I’m not kidding. He enjoys them as much as I do.
SO, you’re thinking about getting chickens? Here’s the thing: I think you should! You’ll love them.
More next time…..
