4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Guest]

This morning we took 3 of our hens to church. It was Harvest Festival and the girls wanted to help to support Hatch a Plan - part of Build Africa (http://www.buildafrica.org) - a charity which sets up a family with 20 chicks and teaches them how to rear them and look after them. Modern practices are taught and vaccinations given. 20 chicks, materials to build a secure coop, vaccines and training cost £30 to provide.

 

The benefits of hens are enormous and I was able to talk about all that they give us. Nutrition, food, fertiliser and happiness or pleasure. The families will eventually be able to equip other families by selling further chicks which they hatch and a poultry business can be set up providing income and stability.

 

It was lovely to have the opportunity to talk about the joys of chicken-keeping and the harvesting we do every day. Mélodie very kindly laid her very own Harvest Offering during the service. Echo came up to the front with me; I talked and she burbled away into my microphone and was a total star.

 

[Paola]

That is soooooo I would have loved to have been there

[BarbaraJ]

Thats so cool, bet that brightened a few peoples day

[Lisa]

How lovely

 

A day out for the whole family!

[cathybc]

that is so lovely ! reminds me of a Vicar of Dibley episode

[Snowy]

That is so cool! Can't believe you got the eglu in there as well! Our church cleaner would've had apoplepsy if she'd seen that!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

How . And how brilliant that Melodie laid an egg .

 

It was Harvest Festival and the girls wanted to help to support Hatch a Plan

 

Your chickens are obviously very clever - mine don't even know what to do when an apple core lands in their run .

[Egluntyne]

What fun. I bet that picture ends up in the next newsletter.

[Lesley]

What a great idea Ginette

[Karen & co.]

Fantastic

 

Karen x

[The Dogmother]

Brilliant idea Ginette, try sendign the photo to Johannes for inclusion in the next newsletter - he's always looking for fodder.

[Guest]

Thank you for all your comments and enthusiasm. The church was indeed buzzing and I'm not sure who will benefit the most - Hatch a Plan or Omlet!!

 

The vicar asked me if I might bring some hens back in July, so fortunately I had time to plan. (A couple of years ago he had a goat in church when we were sending goats to Africa! We didn't have a cow last year for Send a Cow though).

 

The service was at 10:30 so there would have been plenty of time if we hadn't had an orchestra practice at 9:30. DH and I took the newly washed eglu up at 8:30am. I then came back for the children and the hens! The vicar forgot to mention that he had a baptism to do after the service. The Angel you can see in the picture is the font, so we had to get it all cleared away rather quickly. One of the plastic screws lost its thread and we couldn't detach the run, the guests were arriving in their suits and there was aubiose everywhere. I was a bit stressed, especially when a little boy stuck his finger in Echo's pet carrier and she pecked it! All in all though, very successful.

[Cate in NZ]

Sounds eventful Ginette, and a bit stressful for you, but what a great idea and how lovely for the church

[Sheilaz]

What a brilliant idea but very hard work behind it all! Lovely pic (yes, do forward it to Omlet!) and such a worthwhile project to promote.

I love to hear unusual stories like this, what a success.

[redhotchick]

I take it none of your hens had an urge to join in with the singing?!

My Bella can be quite vocal at times!

You could ask Omlet to make a donation to Hatch a Plan for any sales resulting from taking your hens to church! (If they agree you could put a note up in church)

[Mutrix Farmers]

What a fabulous idea Ginette. The chickens obviously weren't stressed at all.

 

Your church sounds about as good as communicating and forward planning as mine!

[Guest]

Your church sounds about as good as communicating and forward planning as mine!

 

Fortunately the vicar wasn't stressed at all. It was a large baptism party and they were all arriving, but the vicar remained totally chilled. He told me they didn't mind at all and were going to donate a lot of money which would go to Hatch a Plan. 'Twas just me feeling frazzled. !

[little chickadee]

Fantastic. We have a bit of an unusual vicar, with alpacas sheep and donkeys grazing in the Graveyard. He does have chickens too, but I've never heard of them having gone into the church. He dresses the alpacas up as camels at Christmas

[Guest]

Fantastic. We have a bit of an unusual vicar, with alpacas sheep and donkeys grazing in the Graveyard. He does have chickens too, but I've never heard of them having gone into the church. He dresses the alpacas up as camels at Christmas

 

That sounds great! I'm sure they'd make great friends! Our vicar is a bit of a pyromaniac and we regularly use fire in church!

[Paola]

He dresses the alpacas up as camels at Christmas

 

[Guest]

I am so thrilled! It looks as if we will have raised about £1800 for Hatch a Plan. I can't quite believe it. That's about 60 African families who will be equipped with their own chickens.

 

I definitely think having real hens in church and seeing one at the front grabbing grapes and lettuce and burbling into the microphone made a huge difference. Clearly people have been moved enough to give the full £30 needed for the whole 'kit'. Amazing!

 

[Snowy]

That is amazing Ginette! Well done to you and your chooks (and your church!)

[sparkysmum]

How lovely, sounds like my kind of church

[koolchick]

wow.......

 

your chickens must have been real stars

[Mutrix Farmers]

I am so thrilled! It looks as if we will have raised about £1800 for Hatch a Plan. I can't quite believe it. That's about 60 African families who will be equipped with their own chickens.

 

Fabulous news!!