Seven years of Chickens

We have had chickens for seven years now. Not the same ones. There has been a steady stream in and a steady stream out. In between they have provided us with beautiful, fresh eggs and entertainment.

This morning, as I cleaned out the hen house, I was musing about why I carry on keeping hens. Last year we had a badger attack which wiped out my bantam (little chickens) flock. I caught the badger in the act. I have been unwilling to replace the lost flock. I don’t want to  provide our local black and white friends with anymore food. The large fowl escaped the attack, although it was a close shave for the cockerels. For the record, I still like badgers. He was just doing what comes naturally to them. It is my job to be more vigilant.

Anyway back to why I continue with our feathered friends:

• Number one has to be the fresh eggs they provide.  Oh the cakes, yorkshire puddings, ice cream…. Not only great in our kitchen, but I love walking into other people’s kitchens (invited, of course) with a box for eggs.

• If I position the hen run in the right place at the right time of the year, they scratch and clear my kitchen garden beds to perfection. Plus it is nicely fertilized. They are working on my sweetcorn and broad bean beds at the moment.

• They help mark the seasons. I am so aware of the nights drawing in or lengthening. I feel closer to the land and the seasons.

• The children gain so much from having the chickens. They are confident around all livestock, they take care and responsibility for these small creatures and they absorb knowledge about chickens at such a fast rate. They know where their food comes from and they have seen the cycle of life – from egg to chick, from hen to the end. AJ and BL have even developed a plan to have several more flocks! Ah ha.

• They inspire our art and creativity. We have drawn, painted, modelled and stitched chickens. Even in the snow. I like to think the hens appreciate our efforts. We’ll be looking for more inspiration for our March project in the Craft-Along 2010.

There are more benefits and downsides, but by that stage, I had finished cleaning their house. I went to fetch more wood chippings to top up as nights are so cold at the moment. When I got back, one of the hens had obviously been in to inspect my work.

So this spring, I will probably give in and take the family down to our wonderful hen supplier, where they will select a hen each of their choice. But please don’t tell the badgers.