Great stuff!

I love the idea of one day letting one of my hens hatch a brood. The chicks are so cute.

I think what we are saying is that they will peck at anything. Mine have a good go at trying to bite my finger off if I am daft enough to point it at them

You could try making Paneer (Indian cheese) with some it. I usually use 4 pints of full fat milk (you cannot make it with low fat milk!). Put it in a large heavy bottomed pan and bring to the boil; being careful for it not to boil over. Once you have it simmering, simply add lemon juice a little at ...

Perhaps a little less formal than the diary section, it might be fun and interesting to post a few words about what's going on in your garden at the moment. And, it might well be of help to the more novice gardeners like myself. Let's see how it goes and if people like it, I'll start another one nex...

The reason I ask is that from what I understand,years ago chickens were almost totally feed on left overs and scraps. My mum, for instance, remembers just after WW2 boiling potato skins and feeding them to her hens along with any other left over food. I tend to feed mine, relatively expensive, layer...

My ex-batties have always slept in the nesting box. We got a couple of point of lay pullets a couple of weeks ago and there was a bit bullying and the odd peck from the old girls, and the new girls just slept on the perches. They're all settled now, and guess what? When I go to settle them down, all...

I am just starting to lift a few things out of the vegetable patches, thus leaving a few spare row here and there? Any suggestions for what I can be planting now? I have plenty of radishes and lettuce that I have planted over a few weeks (so I don't get a glut all at once). I was thinking of somethi...

We've had no eggs at all from 4 this week! I think the problem is that we were down to just two old ex-bat girls and we introduced a couple of point of lay pullets. There was a bit of friction for a couple of days but they are pretty settled now the new girls know who's boss, but the girls have stop...

I use wood shavings. I get a really big bag from my my hen feed supplier (Garden Feathers - Gateshead), they are cheap enough and do the job.

Steve the Gas wrote:The hair is apparently more effective if male too.

Yes I am sure that is true. Ladies hair is more likely to have coloured and have hair spray on it. Better than nothing I guess

We have a fox wander through our garden but so far he or she hasn't caused the hens any problems. Mrs fabindia is a hairdresser so I get her to bring hair home that I stuff into old cut down tights that I put round the coop. Also, a bit of human male pee round the back of the hens house sends a mess...

A few of my red onions are flowering too. I am inclined just ti nip the buds off - I am guessing it won't do any harm.

In region of £600 plus a donation of £20 to bhwt.

Most of the money really went on materials to build high gates at the top of drive to stop the little monsters getting out into the street! However, they repaid us well in eggs and amusement. Down to about £6 an egg now.

Acorns are edible, squirrels and humans can eat them! However, I don't think my chicks would eat them they ahve too many other things they find in the garden to keep them occupied.

My kids are pretty good but they are children of an age of plenty and its inherent waste. I think that those of us who belong to the baby boomer generation had parents who lived through the hardships of the last war. When we were young, by necessity, lived pretty frugally because we didn't have a lo...