Just Add Worms

Its been 16 months since we decided to get some hens and now we can’t imagine not having them around.

Some months back we also started selling day old, two week and 3 week old chickens and now never a week goes by without me extolling the merits of having your own hens. Often on a Saturday morning that simple five minute pickup of much anticipated new chickens develops into a 20 minute tour of our back garden and chicken coop. If its Mum, Dad and the littluns it can take a little longer. I don’t mind as the delight and excitement upon those young faces when seeing their cute new friends for the first time. It just adds further magic to the occasion.

Day old Hyline Brown chicks.

Simply put some great reasons for having hens are ….

1. They’re easy to look after and enjoyable to watch.
2. Children love them and will have fun collecting the eggs as well as helping with feeding and watering.
   
3. They make great pets, but don’t get too attached. No need to groom or walk these gals as they can mostly care for themselves.
4. Pest control, slugs, snails, crickets and all manner of grubs and bugs won’t stand a chance.
5. Free nitrogen rich fertiliser for your veggie garden.
6. Not only will they help to keep the lawn mown but they will also fertilize it for you.
7. Leighton Smith of NewstalkZB fame suggests that taking time out after a hard days work to observe them is a great way to lessen stress, yours that is. Roosters excluded of course.
   
8. Allows you to regain some control over where and how your food is produced.
9. All those unwanted kitchen leftovers can now be put to good use rather than burdening our land fills.
10. Every little helps to reduce the need for caged battery hens and sends a message to those exploiting them this way that its no longer acceptable.
11. Hens are environmentally friendly.
12. Last but not least, lots of tasty nutritious eggs.

Hyline chicks at 2 weeks.

At 3 weeks.

If you’re wanting to purchase some chickens more details can be viewed here.

Over recent years I’ve written about Anzac Day but rather than covering the same ground this year I’ve opted to publish a few images of last Wednesday’s 73rd Anzac Day Dawn Service. As usual it was held at Auckland’s War Memorial Museum Cenotaph. Anzac Day mornings are usually cold and wet but our 4 am [...]

Several weeks ago our second batch of hens began to lay so it was time to re house them in the main coop with our Jessie’s who are now 15 months old. I suspected there could be some dramatics however I had my fingers crossed for a smooth and peaceful transition. As any keeper of [...]

During spring and summer I fill our tui feeders with water for the other birds about the place because tui don’t use them. Until recently I held the view that they wouldn’t from early December through to about April as there was ample food elsewhere however I’ve been proven wrong. I know you will find [...]

It was approximately one year ago that we built our new coop and the extra time and money spent to make it user friendly has proven to be very worthwhile. If you’re thinking of building a coop here are a few points that are worth thinking through before banging in that first nail. 1 … [...]

It seems hard to believe that a year has past since we set off to collect our day old chickens . Chicks in make shift brood box at day 1. Our 8 hens who are all called Jessie have proved to be a very worthwhile addition to our lifestyle lot and now I can’t imagine [...]

Even though I started work last Wednesday today has really been the first serious day of production with diversions to the veggie garden, chicken coops and bee hives a definite no go. I’ve enjoyed the time out despite the damp and dismal weather but now its time to get those late December early January orders [...]

Wow, frantic and frenetic are just some of the words that best describe the last three weeks as we’ve been very busy getting our orders made up and away in time for Christmas. As tired as I feel just now I know my to do list is not fully cleared until I publish this brief [...]

Christmas Orders  … please note Due to demand and our 10 working days delivery time any orders made after 12th December may not be delivered in time for Christmas. We can however supply personalised “Tui Feeder Gift Certificates”. In respect to certificates issued we anticipate delivery occurring late December early January 2012. As always we [...]

When I’m not making tui feeders or pottering in the veggie garden I really enjoy spending any spare time, not that I have much working with the bees. Upon acquiring our first bee hive two years ago I knew that it would become an addiction and now I can’t imagine not having them around. Keeping [...]