docsquid Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 I have decided that my entire purpose in life appears to be to provide entertainment and diversion for three very spoilt chickens! Every time I go to the back door, three little faces are there looking up at me. Every little bit of work in the garden I do is greeted with enthusiastic Bok-Boks. I have to move, cajole and sometimes pick up over-trusting and over-nosey little chooks in order to do anything. They get in the flower beds, they get in the pots, they sample all kinds of dubious things (like chilli plants - that made Blodwyn sneeze!), they get under your feet, they get alarmingly close to you when digging/raking/laying gravel. Every time I go to the shed I get three little followers, all running and flapping to keep up. But...every time I feed them, cuddle them or generally plan something to make them happy then I feel good about it. I suppose this is what it means to own chickens (I mean be a chicken-servant) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 Ah yes, I don't own chickens, my chickens own me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legend21 Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 My husband was working on the drive yesterday and had knee pads on so all six were round him as if they were a team working on digging up worms (which hubby was not), it was so funny watching there little bums of course only the girls have little bums they make you love them Jackie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docsquid Posted November 17, 2009 Author Share Posted November 17, 2009 Of course I am also a cat servant, but that's another story! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 try having 45! at least two hours of my day are spent getting covered in chicken food/bedding/poo They are worth it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 Its a great purpose though isn't it I an happily a chicken servant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 Afraid I am a meanie who keeps her chickens locked in the run if there's any digging to be done! I have more than once stepped back and found an eager chicken underfoot, and I was worried it was going to be chicken kebab next time I stuck the fork into the ground, they just can't resist rushing in to see what you have dug up. I plan my gardening jobs so that the 'dangerous' ones are done in the morning while they stay in the run, and then when they are allowed out I do safer things like pruning or hand weeding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Shirl Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 Ah yes, I don't own chickens, my chickens own me Same here. The hens rule our lives, it's fantastic. We did tell you that's what would happen Docsquid. Imagine trying to work in the woods with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docsquid Posted November 19, 2009 Author Share Posted November 19, 2009 Imagine trying to work in the woods with them. It doesn't bear thinking about. Over the past 4 weeks since we've had the chooks here, I've really come to appreciate how suitable our garden is and how potentially hazardous the wild site would be - rats, foxes, badgers, mink, buzzards etc. They will be safe here, and seem very happy. A wild site might be good if you were keeping 30 chooks, on a semi-smallholding basis. And I reckon we could fit five or six chooks into our garden! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 Same here with my dozen, although I lock them away when I'm doing anythign dangerous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Shirl Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 Imagine trying to work in the woods with them. It doesn't bear thinking about. Over the past 4 weeks since we've had the chooks here, I've really come to appreciate how suitable our garden is and how potentially hazardous the wild site would be - rats, foxes, badgers, mink, buzzards etc. They will be safe here, and seem very happy. A wild site might be good if you were keeping 30 chooks, on a semi-smallholding basis. And I reckon we could fit five or six chooks into our garden! The old chicken maths again, and so soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 (edited) Its a slippery slope docsquid, you start with a few (4 in my case) and then before you know it several more have magically appeared in your garden My chook head count - 12 You've got to love Chicken Maths (Edited for typos ) Edited November 20, 2009 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chick wiggle Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 Imagine trying to work in the woods with them. And I reckon we could fit five or six chooks into our garden! Was that 5 or 6 ..... or 56 !! Now THATS chicken maths..!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docsquid Posted November 19, 2009 Author Share Posted November 19, 2009 You've got to love Chicken Maths DH has already agreed we can have 3 more - we agreed we would eventually have 6 chooks, just a question of when, really I love Chicken Maths too. The number of chickens you need is n (the number you have) plus y (a random positive additional number) + 1 (the one that slipped into the box when you went to collect y!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 I like it! A bit like me going to replace one dead chicken last year and coming back with 4! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
