We've spent the past few weeks sorting out the back garden, building raised beds in the front garden for vegetables and putting up the new greenhouse.

Helping out

Posh and Pecks helped us when it came to lowering the ground socket for the rotary washing line. At least they thought they did.

Surveying the area
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We give our chickens their hors d'œuvre late afternoon generally between 5pm and 6pm. It is important that they are treated late afternoon to ensure that they eat their pellets during the day.

Over the last few months we have treated the girls to a number of various treats including canned sweet corn, chopped apples, mashed up bananas, grated carrots, spaghetti, cabbage, lettuce, brussel sprouts, rice, mashed potatoes, probiotic yoghurt, weetabix, grapes and mealworms.
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I am not talking about chicken poo this time, the chicken mess I’m referring to is the mess Posh and Pecks make in the garden after free ranging for an hour or two. We are fortunate that we don’t have a lawn just a patio otherwise there’d be piles of mud, no grass and two very messy chicks!

They love pebbles
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Well it’s just over 9 weeks ago that our chickens Posh and Pecks arrived. Pecks started crouching approximately 4 weeks ago and to date she has laid five GREAT eggs ; 14/3 16/3 17/3 19/3 20/3

Both chickens are approximately 25 weeks old. When they arrived the sun was rising at 07.53hrs and was setting about 16.31hrs. Nowadays, the sun rises at 06.00hrs and sets at 18.51hrs. Since the days are getting longer their treat time is now around 5pm instead 3.30pm and they have a lot more active time.
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Late this afternoon, on the 53rd day of having Posh and Pecks, we are proud to announce that our first egg was laid by Pecks today! At least we think it's hers as she has been crouching a while and has been hogging the nest box the last three nights.

John holding Pecks first egg!
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Whilst I was out with chickens this afternoon it decided to rain, so rather than put the chickens back in the run and go inside (as we never leave the hens unsupervised) I decide to open up the canopy over the raised decking.

Louise

The girls seem to appreciate this and spent their time looking through and pecking at the patio window into the lounge much to the amusement of our cats Thelma and Louise.
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"We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to abolish all local by-laws prohibiting the keeping of hens in gardens"

Deadline to sign up by: 06 September 2009

Visit http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/GardenPoultry/

On todays news from the BBC and on various newspaper sites it's being reported that two oap's are facing eviction from their home of 27 years for keeping two hens.

While they are clearly in breach of their tenancy agreement that specifically disallows chickens, with the knowledge we have gained we think that the clause disallowing chickens is just plain wrong!

First, I'll list the articles so you can see for yourself:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/4943229/Good-life-pensioners-thre...
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It's Day 36 in the Posh and Pecks house. Let's see how they are developing!

When we got the hens, they were approximately 16 weeks old. It's not until 21/22 weeks that they start to come into lay properly. During that period, they are basically growing up, developing their bodies in preparation to lay eggs. A strenuous exercise! Imagine yourself popping one of those out nearly every day!

When we first got them, the combs and wattles were a very pale, almost white with a pinkish tinge.
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The pecking order I think is really hard to spot; over the last month since the hens arrived I have been trying to work out who is the boss. I had initially thought Posh was top of the pecking order as at first she seemed the pushy one although I have come to the conclusion that she is the friendliest and most inquisitive, leading us to believe she is top dog by using our non-chicken values.
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