Winter Challenges

The main challenge we have over winter is trying to keep the chickens off the mud in their coop. Every autumn, we put in a layer of chippings and hope they last the winter. Unfortunately, this year, despite a thick new layer being added in September, the chickens are back on mud again. However, our friend who has his own gardening business offered us a wheelie bin full of chippings! We immediately accepted and took delivery last week.

Yesterday I tried to lug the wheelie bin down to the main coop. It turns out that it was considerably heavier than I thought. After wrestling with the bin and moving it only a few feet, I gave up!

Phil and Steve have been working hard over the past for days trimming the hedge. It’s a difficult and time consuming job but it means the plots at the boundary of the site have more space to grow crops. They have also taken several feet off the height of the hedge. There is so much more light now on that side of the site!

When my husband got in from work, he told me that Matt needed the wheelie bin back. We mounted an expedition to the allotment in the dark to spread the chippings and bring the bin home. To say it was hilarious trying to drag the bin down the path in the dark, trying to avoid bashing into anything on either side of the path, is an understatement. I walked ahead, holding a torch so my husband could see where he was going.

Once we got into the coop, we tipped the bin over and dumped out the chippings. Whilst my husband lugged the bin out of the coop, I spread out the chippings to cover the worst part of the quagmire. Here’s hoping the chickens enjoy their new dry floor tomorrow morning!