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Ground Hen Day

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Anyone that has seen the film ‘Ground hog day’ will know that it is about living the same day over and over and over again.

I realised today that I am in fact living in a ‘Ground Hen Day’!

I rescued 4 battery hens last May, they were sorry states with no feathers and never having had more that a tiny cage to live in – with at least 3 other birds.

Fast forward nearly a year and they have decided the pecking order of our family. I am indeed the hen pecked lowest hen, I have to supply food and treats whenever pestered! Even my 2 cats and Lab puppy are scared of them.

They are now fatter, mostly feathered and lovely pets. They LOVE gardening, and decide to busy themselves ‘helping’ me whenever they can.

Mostly they like to take anything out of the pots that i have put in, then sit in the pot very happy with themselves. So yet again today I have replanted my still growing bulbs, swept the dirt up, put the girls back in their enclosure – much to their annoyance – only to find the puppy has up turned the pots. Give up???

More blog posts by lauraandben



Comments

 

How happy your hens must be now they can 'rule the roost' in your garden. It seems you know your place and are definitely henpecked so I think you'll just have to go with the flow! It must be lovely to see how much they're enjoying their new lives with you. :o))

19 Mar, 2011

 

Lovely blog... You sound like you take good care of your hens :o)

19 Mar, 2011

 

I know its mean but that is so funny Laura, she looks really contented sitting in that pot......

19 Mar, 2011

 

All the comforts of home eh? They are well and truly rescued (and it's so good to hear you have rescued battery chickens). They can now live out their lives (do they have 9 Lives like cats are supposed to?...lol) challenging you to keeping them out of your plant pots!

Back in their chicken coop again then....it sounds a bit like the new way of disciplining children (the naughty step)...

I hope they don't go on strike and continue to provide you with some lovely, fresh eggs :)

20 Mar, 2011

 

I fully recommend rescuing hens like mine, they are so friendly. I have 4 and get at least 2 eggs a day - most days 4! They are great fun and very easy to keep. Mine have a coop and a fenced off bit of the garden as an enclosure -- this vast space is not enough for my feathery explorers who spend all day looking and hatching escape plans!

If anyone is thinking about having hens give me a shout and I will give you contact details for rescues near you. Then you could have your own Doris, Henny Penny, Henritta and Nugget (they were going to be Farmfoods chicken nuggets the day after the rescue).

20 Mar, 2011

 

Our daughter has two chickens (but rescued from her brother-in-law who didn't want the 3 he had...one has since died, despite vet's best efforts and a lot of money later after getting egg-bound. She has a regular supply of eggs from them as well.

They roam freely in the day when she is home and have a coop in their back garden (with a roof for protection from the local fox population).

Battery hens are a popular source for chickens and it's good that they can be rehomed and enjoy their days in freedom...well done!

20 Mar, 2011

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