When I put an offer on this house in 2020, there was a pig, a sheep and many chickens on the property. The counter offer was the animals had to stay until the county fair which was fine by me. I only had a week with the pig and sheep before they went quietly off to the fair. I missed them. The owners asked if I wanted to keep the chickens because they couldn't take them ...... flashback to my young childhood and my brothers somehow getting Grandma's roosters to chase me......panic......beady eyes.....squawking......"uhm, well, uhm....o.k." I'm such sucker.
So now I found myself with ten hens and not a clue what to do. It has been a learning curve and just about every day I've thought I've killed them off but they still survive. Then there were the grasshoppers. A friend said the chickens would eat them so I let them out of the run. To my utter horror, my ten little feathered friends turned into little velociraptors! I stared opened mouthed watching them hunt the grasshoppers and gobble them up. I keep looking over my back just in case they transform into killers while my back is turned.
What I have learned is how to put the chickens to work for me. Goldie quickly learned that the shovel means good eats! She helped scratch and dig.
As I'm determined to not buy a lawnmower, I feed the chickens in different areas, letting them scratch up the grass. Then we have poo. Lots and lots of poo.
What I didn't know is that chickens take dust baths.... in my garden bed. This was a humiliating experience being outsmarted by my chickens! I quickly learned the importance of chicken wire.
The most surprising thing to me is how much I enjoy my naughty chickens. They give me such delight even digging up my garden beds. My chickens work hard for their food and I'm grateful to have them. Be sure to come visit the ladies this summer.