Chickens first visit to the Allotment

Today we decided to take the Chickens to the plot for the first time, waited until the ground was less frozen, and nothing was growing in the fruit cage.

The fruit cage was the best place to introduce them to the Allotment as they couldn't escape, there are gaps in the perimeter fence so could not risk releasing them onto the whole plot, plus there are crops growing they might eat.

They had a lovely time and scratched and pecked up lots of bugs, worms and slug eggs too, they must have thought it was heaven. They were so contented they hardly made a sound while pecking around.


Here you can see them searching for bugs etc amongst the Black & Red Currant bushes, we use hen house muck to mulch the fruit bushes, free chicken manure.

They found lots of worms, slug eggs were evident too and they loved scratching around and eating them up, good for us too.

Quite a few of the other plot holders visited to see our Chickens and were impressed how fit they looked, I think we will make it a regular thing bringing the chickens down to the plot for a day out.




Other jobs done:

If you remember a few months ago I sowed some Pea & Broad Beans seeds into toilet roll tubes & kitchen roll tubes.

Well here they are planted out in the green house, for an early harvest. Topped up the soil with more rotted manure for a good start.

Managed to dig up some Parsnips as the ground wasn't frozen anymore and also have another Bonfire, the weeds I pulled/dug up last week and left to dry were ready to burn also burnt some dried rotten wood.
The patch I set aside for the Potatoes was weeded and I burnt those weeds, also spread out some manure.
Next job to use the Rotovator to mix the manure in & turn the soil as the 1st & 2nd early Potatoes are 'chitting' as we speak. Check out next weeks Blog for news on that.
Thanks for reading/returning. Ian