Three French Hens

An uncharacteristic, niche-interest and personal entry perhaps but it's a sufficiently significant development in our home life to report that we now have a trifold of chickens. That "secret design project" I've alluded to recently being the two-week's-to-build bespoke chicken coop; I like to think, designed in the Shaker style (although I fear I'm horribly deluded in this).

I was all for naming them after type designers but my children pulled rank and have named them after (appropriately) Thunderbirds characters: Scott Tracey, Lady Penelope (a perfect chickeny name if I ever heard one) and The Hood.

For anyone interested (is anyone interested?) they're ISA Browns, the Ford Escort of the chicken world and their gentle clucking is now the soundtrack to our little corner of suburbia. Estimates suggest we could be harvesting up to 300 eggs for breakfast, per be-colmed head, per annum.

Comments

[Ben]

Haha! Brilliant!

How the hell do you manage to take great pictures of chickens?

[Richard]

Them's just mighty fine looking chickens!

[Daniel]

Is one of those photos taken from inside the coop looking out?

[Richard]

Yep. It's important to see things from the chickens point of view; a happy chicken is a productive chicken.

[davidthedesigner]

I'm not sure that giving two of them men's names is a wise move if you're really after 900 eggs a year. Mind you, I suppose you'd have just the same problem if they were named after type designers.

[Graham G]

Great looking coop, more New England than Shaker I would have thought!

Good luck with the eggs. We're getting a small group later in the summer, but our friends and neighbours have had mixed fortunes so far.

We're thinking about some ducks too, but need to start the pond building project, which is approximately #45 on the list of major works so far I think!

[Prêt à Voyager]

What a great "design" project. The chickens are so expressive :)

Anne

[Adrian Shaughnessy]

I caught my wife reading a book called Henkeeping - Inspiration and Practical Advice for Would-be Smallholders. Should I be worried?

[Richard]

If she's reading a book you're beyond help; that's how it started for me. You'd better get yourself down to B&Q Adrian and get building. Or if you're feeling a bit flush, buy an Eglu: www.omlet.co.uk

[ellie]

will you making anything interesting with the eggs? or just more chickens?

[richard]

Watch this space.

[larry]

Great chicken coop. I'm looking for building plans for a Shaker Shed. Would also like to know where you got the designs for the your Shaker Coop? Any problems with skunks, possums, or raccoons?
Thanks,
ljs