[Roxy]

I can't let them all sit, we will be over run with chicks.  Two clucking was not so bad, this suddenly increased to 4, including one of the pullets.  Well today, its up to SIX.  The silkies will come out in sympathy and start clucking any day.  Some of the banties are so tiny, you cannot put that many eggs under them anyway!!

[Rosemary]

Like buses, lots come when you don't want them!

[Wizard]

Hello lasses A true story.When I was a lad and lived on the old fashioned farm Hens were always free range They lived in hen houses .This was a wooden hut about 7'6" wide and 10 ft long with nest boxes one side and perches the other.These were on iron wheels and at harvest when the sheaves had been gathered in the houses were pulled into the field and the hens ate up much of the shed corn.Now on the opposite end to the door was a thing called the coop it was a box some 4 ft or so wide and 2ft6 inch deep back to front and was about 18" high sloping up to 2 ft where it fastened to the hen houseThis box? was made of 2" slats of wood and of course a sloping felted roof so they didn't get unduly wet The broody hens were put in this box and the wind whistling past soon cooled their ardour.Never seen this sort of hut lately.Another thing you may like to know about was a Chicken coop This was a 3ft square hut say 2ft 6 inch's high at the front.again the front was made of 2" slats vertical Hen was placed in the coop with her eggs and allowed to sit on them when the chicks were born they could pass through the gaps and out into a little run the width of the coop and 6ft long a foot high.A tray with food for the hen was placed up to the slats so she could eat and drink but not get out into the little run When the chicks were big enough the center slat could be lifted and held up with a peg and the hen and chicks could get into the run.The whole thing was moved when they had scratched all the grass off.Just another thing boys were paid half a crown to creosote with proper creosote that burnt your bare arms in the sun in the 6 week holidays We could usually paint all of them and the "Mester" would come and inspect them and if he thought them well done you got paid on Saturday dinner time along with the men.If you haven't been there you haven't lived I can tell you.Next earner was of course tattie picking and you got another fortnight off school in October for that.