Adventures in the life of an English allotment
Another momentous day with the chickens today! This afternoon, I walked across to Nikki's house to help her and Dylan set up their new Omlet Classic. Buying second hand is an excellent way of getting hold of one. The only downside is the lack of assembly instructions which can make what should be a short... Continue Reading →
There are going to be big changes in the coops over the next couple of weeks. Unfortunately, a local resident has been making problems about the cockerels on site. As a result, the Committee have had to ask plot holders with cockerels to remove them. I have three-ish weeks to find homes for Tommy and... Continue Reading →
Sad news from the plot this morning. I ambled down before work to find one our little bantams had passed away in the New Coop. Initially, I thought it was Foxy, but closer inspection of the comb revealed it wasn't. It's such a shame as she was growing into a lovely bird (albeit a very... Continue Reading →
I ambled down to the allotment at lunchtime today and sat with Geoff and Mick the Greek discussing the events on the site. There had been major works on the bottom of Plot 35 to prepare it for the new tenant. It looks amazing although there is still a little more work to go. When... Continue Reading →
This morning, something incredible happened in the new coop. We had no idea that something momentous had happened until my husband came back from the allotment carrying it. As he put away the morning's haul of eggs, he pointed out a small white-ish egg. He had found it in the nest box in the new... Continue Reading →
Sometimes, I swear there is something in the air that makes the chickens go loopy. When I arrived down on site this evening, there was so sign that this would be a rather eventful visit. Stopping by the Nest House, I collected four eggs which made a total of ten for today! I organised the... Continue Reading →
Today was a day spent running between home and the allotment. Our first job today was to get the roof on the shed in the garden. In order to improve the strength of the roof panels, I added some extra batons to the edges. My hope was that this would not only stabilise the roof... Continue Reading →
Today was a very exciting day. A day that for us chicken keepers means the end of months of lugging gallons of water down to the site. On days when the coops needed cleaning out, I would occasionally have to do two trips, one for the chickens drinking water and another to collect enough water... Continue Reading →
I sprung out of bed this morning, threw on my wellies and headed out the door before breakfast to feed the chickens. The sun was out, the sky was a gorgeous shade of blue and although it was still a bit nippy, it definitely felt warmer than a few weeks ago! In the Omlet, I... Continue Reading →
So we are being battered by another storm with high winds and rain causing flooding and damage all across the country. At home, aside from a fence panel, we have got off lightly. Both coops with the silkies and our veteran bantams have stood firm against the onslaught. But I always worry about the allotment... Continue Reading →
After pottering down to feed the chickens and collect half a dozen eggs this morning. We headed back home. A friend who runs his own gardening business had offered us some chippings. There are endless uses for chippings on an allotment from using it for paths, helping keep chickens off the mud and compost. Some... Continue Reading →
The last two days, I have been woken up by Gordon doing his best impression of a cockerel. Despite having very accommodating neighbours, I just couldn't keep him in the garden anymore. The fact he set off three times yesterday shows he is getting more confident in his voice. So my plan was to move... Continue Reading →
Between the showers, we dashed down to feed the chickens at the allotment. Fortunately, we chose our moment well and remained dry the entire visit! The Buff Orpington has taken up residence on the perches and although still very timid, she does seem to be holding her own against the others. I was even able... Continue Reading →
As things get more and more stressful at work, the escape outdoors becomes essential. After spending hours wrestling with a mountain of paperwork, I snuck out for an hour to the allotment. It's amazing what an hour surrounded by green space can do to your mood. I left feeding the chickens until later in the... Continue Reading →
I ambled down to site this morning to discover the sunshine had tempted out lots of people. I say and chatted with Geoff, Cliff and Michael. Geoff has decided to give away two of his Rhode Island Reds as they have been bullying his other girls quite badly. He is completely unimpressed with collecting a... Continue Reading →
This morning I walked down to the allotment to find the place a hive of activity! Steve and Andy were busy assembling Steve's new polytunnel, closely supervised by Mick the Greek, Ken and Will. When it's finished, it will be massive! A fee years ago I did wonder about getting one myself but I decided... Continue Reading →
Last night, as we were cooking dinner, my husband heard the dreaded sound. A distinct and clear cockle doodle doo! Hoping desperately that the neighbours hadn't heard it, I dashed outside to see the offending bird standing smugly in the middle of the run. Part of me felt impressed but the other part of me... Continue Reading →
With the wild weather continuing today, I thought it would be a good time to do an update on Trixy's chicks. They are now nearly seven weeks old and fully feathered. The millefleur chicks I have been able to sex for three weeks - one boy and one girl. I am so pleased that the... Continue Reading →
Another busy morning today saw me arrive mid-afternoon at the allotment. Upon my arrival, I walked down to the main coop to check on Millie. She seemed alright although she is clearly at the bottom of the pecking order. What was wonderful to see was that all of the girls were on the perches including... Continue Reading →
This morning when I checked on Trixy's coop to discover a dead chick. It was at the back of the nest and it was difficult to get to it without being eaten alive by an irate broody. Once I got it out I checked it over. There didn't seem to be anything particularly wrong with... Continue Reading →
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