Tracking Down The Perfect Palace

Now that the decision to stay put has been made, I have spent the last week trying to organise a new abode for the ladies. The six older girls currently reside in the Convent quite happily, but there is not room for the chooklets to join them. The Convent run is approximately 20 sqaure feet in size, which is adequate for six small hens as long as they get plenty of free ranging opportunities. Adding two more to the current set up would be overcrowding, and lead to stress in the flock. Stress leads to health problems and bullying (I'm sure I don't need to go in to the evils of battery farming chickens here, so I won't).

Therefore, I have been looking at my options. In an ideal world, my chook palace would be walk in, with a six foot ceiling height. With a footprint of approx. 6 x 9 feet, it would give my girls a floor space of 54sqft. This is a decent amount of space for birds that might never free range (although my girls will always have the opportunity to undo all of my gardening efforts). It will also be built like Fort Knox, allowing total peace of mind when we travel.

I managed to find a few examples online, but the price made the ever tolerant husband go a funny colour. Thinking outside the box, I decided to make contact with a few local joiners, in the hope that they could build me exactly what I wanted for a slightly less cardiac arrest-inducing price.

It often slips my mind that other people aren't chicken obsessed. Its become such a normal part of our every day lives to step over squatting hens when hanging out the washing, or to find random feathers under the sofa, that I just assume that others also know everything there is to know about chooks. So when I started blathering on about pop holes, nest boxes and wind breaks to the joiner stood in my kitchen and he looked at me like I was slightly mad, I think it was a shock for both of us. I resorted to showing him an expensive online example. He was still a little nonplussed, and muttered about research before hightailing it for the safety of his transit van. His quote came in the next day at several hundred pounds over budget. I suspect that he didn't really want to build my chook palace.

The second joiner was much more enthusiastic, and even made several sensible suggestions himself. When he left, I felt a warm glow of satisfaction that my needs had been understood. Unfortunately, it was a fleeting satisfaction, as his quote came in at over a thousand pounds. I didn't even show the ever tolerant husband that one.

The third joiner has disappeared in to the sunset with his tape measure and sketch pad, never to be heard of again. Well, by the madchickenlady anyway. Honestly, you'd think that people had never seen a chicken before. Admittedly, Maude did try to sit on his shoulder, but shes a sociable bird. Also, he was wearing a hoop earring. Maude likes earrings.

So, it looks like the expensive internet options are actually the more affordable. Amazingly, the ever tolerant husband seems resigned to having his wallet hoovered out in the near future. I am determined to have the chook palace in situ by the end of May.

We are no longer moving, but the girls are.

Staying Put

After weeks of faffing about, our potential buyer has taken his ball and gone home. Bah. Now, there are two ways to view this development. I could sit in a corner, rock and weep a bit, before getting up and preparing the house for another viewing. The second option involves ripping the 'for sale' board out of the lawn, laughing manically as the agent attempts to arrange more viewings, and deciding to make the best of what we've got. The second option is deeply, bone warmingly appealing.

Therefore, today I am making enquiries. The ever tolerant husband wants quotes for new bathrooms and a patio. I will make these calls. However, I also have a secret agenda. I need to track down a carpenter to plot my chook palace with. Mwahahahahaha!

One of the main appeals of moving was the tempting thought of a bigger garden. A bigger garden means more chickens! I can't make my garden bigger, but I can create a fabulous walk in run, complete with many perches. A sort of chicken playground, if you will. I have a very definite idea as to how I want it to look, hence the sneaky carpenter finding. I imagine it stood on the newly paved area near the current coop, which is a mud bath, and has been all winter. It will have hanging baskets, and a weathervane. There will be a hanging sign reading 'The Convent'. My ladies will be chicken royalty (I also realise that this will cement my 'madchickenlady' persona, but I don't care. So ner).

Alas, my plans for hatching a few chicks etc will have to be shelved. I am disappointed, but am realistic about keeping a few hens (or, er, eight) in the average suburban garden. One day I will get my adorable frizzle, and that will have to be good enough for now.

And you know what? It is.

Sunshine, Introductions And Moving House

If I have any devoted followers, it may have been noticed that its been over a week since my last post. The reason? House stress. We very nearly sold our house, but then didn't. We very nearly bought a house, but then didn't. So. Once again, I am doing my best to ignore the whole circus unless someone brings me news. Easier said than done, to be honest. However, my ladies require my attention, which is a very Good Thing.

Introductions are going reasonably well. Celia and Purdy will now happily leave the garage under their own steam. They tend to stick close together, and are mostly found loitering on the decking. The other girls mostly ignore them, with only the occassional chase or peck. Margot is the most determined baby chaser, which just confirms to me that with the loss of Mini, Margot has taken the position of bottom hen. Her status will be short lived though, once the partridge girls join the main flock.

The sun has made a much welcomed appearance here, and despite the cold it lifts everyones spirits. Maeve is in raptures, and lays on the decking for hours sun bathing. She only moves to change which wing to spread out to catch some rays. All of the girls like the sun, but Maeve is a full on sun worshipper. Unfortunately, her favourite spot is behind the back door. I end up gently shoving her across the decking if I need to get outside.

I don't blame her for making the most of it.