New hens - The Accidental Smallholder

Posted: Sunday 13 April, 2008

by Rosemary at 2:14pm in Poultry 1 comment Comments closed

Well, the new Black Rocks seem to have survived the trauma of the poultry sale. We cobbled together a temporary run for them today round about their house - the fixed run is way too small and is difficult to move. One BR flew over the fence but we caught her and put her back - to be hinest, it's not a big deal and they will be free-ranging in a few days anyway, once I'm sure they know where home is. Our other hens seem completely unimpressed - even when the escapee joined them.

Seven of the BR are, well, black but No. 8 is quite different - either she's not a BR or she's a throwback to one of the parent breeds. She is quite lovely, with gold barred plumage round her neck; she's also a wee bit bigger than the others. Tess is obsessing about them - they are so much more exciting than the Hubbards.

Which takes me on to them - now they are three. We despatched another one this morning, plucked him and have left him to hang until tomorrow. We also killed him first thing, so that, hopefully, the crop and the gut are emptier than the one yesterday. Things were certainly better today armed with sharp tools and a bit more confidence.

The amount of poo these Hubbards produce is incredible - actually, given the amount they eat, it isn't really. But anyway, if /when we get them again, if the timing is right, we're going to keep them on the vegetable beds, so they can fertilise them as they move along. Need to check the size of the run and house so they fit on the beds first though.