As I’ve often told you, there is no shortage of heartbreak on the farm to balance out the intense joy and deep sense of happiness we often feel from sharing our lives with so many wonderful animals. Sometimes I look out my kitchen window while I’m making tea in the morning and see a cat or two, a dog or two, a pony or two, a handful of hens and/or the occasional lamb or pig escaped from their enclosure. I can also usually hear a combination of calls from the horses, the donkeys and the rooster. Often the whole scene makes me laugh out loud, but other times it makes my throat tighten up and my chest hurt. We came back from our Easter vacation to the news that our three hens – the only remaining three that is – had been eaten by the fox while we were away. It was particularly sad because we had raised those last three from birth and they had just started laying a week before we left. After giving ourselves a week to mourn them, we decided to start again and went to see Mabel at the local bird sanctuary to collect a new rooster and ten hens.
Mabel was having her own day of mourning having lost a handful of chickens to a fox the night before, despite elaborate electrical fencing. She was also distraught because her favourite rooster had escaped from his pen this morning. At 84 years old she was certainly too old to grab him and was sure that if he wasn’t captured – difficult as that might be – by nightfall the fox would get him too. So Christopher, the kids and I all stationed ourselves at separate posts throughout the farmyard and closed in on the rooster. He slipped by us once and Mabel was certain we’d lost our only chance. But then Christopher, being the farm boy that he is, was able to corner him into the bushes and eventually dive onto him. Mabel was so overjoyed that she gave him to us as a present.
So we brought all the new chickens home. Ours are free-range but we lock them up in the chicken house at night to keep them safe from predators. We kept them in their new house for 48 hours to get settled in and then we let them out to roam around to discover their new surroundings. Not even a week later, the rooster, who hadn’t even had the chance to name, wasn’t there when we put the chickens to bed at night. I convinced myself that he was locked in a barn by accident and that we’d hear him cock-a-doodle-doo at 4am as usual. But the next morning there was silence. As the fox has cubs this time of year she is often much more relentless in finding food, often venturing out in the day which is unlike her pattern throughout the rest of the year. The truth is – the fox can get the chickens no matter where they are or how well you think you are protecting them. Last year she even chewed through the wood-sided wall of the chicken house in the night and grabbed a hen. For the time being, as we can’t handle any more disappointment right this second, we’ve fenced them in during the day. Not that it will guarantee their safety, but at least it gives us the sense that we are doing what we can to keep them around as long as possible.
The first egg that our young hens had laid just before Easter.
Our hard-earned young rooster. The other two we’ve had have taken weeks to announce themselves in the morning, but this guy let out his sweet, young cock-a-doodle-doo on the very first morning. At 3:50am no less!
Collecting new hens at Mabel’s farm.
Our new chicken family settling in to their home.
The chicken house used to be the kids playhouse, as evidenced by Coco’s strict rules painted on the wall.
Instagram sensation DonaldDrawbertson posted a little parody of our new chicken acquisition. It’s my new favourite family portrait.
The gang on the brink of their tentative first day in the farmyard.
Gingy, keeping an eye on the new hens.
The chickens always love to roost on the balcony railing. But hens can be terribly unfriendly – I hope they weren’t shunning the lone girl at the bottom.
Our glorious young boy that left us too soon.
I raised ducks at my farm…on long Island north shore. We always put them away for fear of what might happen to them at night. I feel so sorry for your chickens….but the fox are beautiful too.
Hi Amanda! I'm Alex and I was hoping you could answer a quick question I have about your blog, I Love Your Style! If you could email me back at Alex.d(at)weddingtonway(dot)com that would be great!
I miss your posts !! 🙂
Miss your blog.
Amanda, where are you? I find your blog inspirational, and am definitely missing you this summer! I hope this is only a break and you will return in the Fall.
What a great day to enjoy your farm! This is one of the reasons why many chose to live in a farm. They have the opportunity to be close to nature — far from the busy life of the city, and the kids will have a large space where they can run freely and interact with the animals like you do. Have a good one!
Darren Lanphere @ Mirr Ranch Group
Hope to see an update on the farm!
I just had my first farm experience and let me tell you…it's hard work. Lots and lots of things to do…
phoooo!
kate
Aww…poor chicks, they are always taking one for the team. I hope your latest crew enjoys a long and happy nest.
Hi, Amanda!
I miss your posts.
Congratulations to your family in general. Please post again soon and let us know how it's going with your book and whether you are staying in England for another year? Best wishes from Copenhagen
As a teenager, I tried hiding chickens inside/behind the 8' privacy fence of my parents suburban home but it ended when my little rooster learned to crow. That was a hilarious morning phone call from the pastor next door! I love your new 'family portrait'!!!
What cookbooks do you find yourself using most? I liked your posts on recipes and was wondering what else you use.
Great pictures! It reminds me of my childhood, I grew up surrounded by chickens
Sounds like a dream living where you do with all those animals. Seeing your pictures makes me want to go back home to Sweden and live on our farm. This will be a memory your kids will carry forever. Thanks for sharing. So sorry about your hens!
A good cockeral probably looking after his girlies..ours always did! He was a handsome chappie!
The fox with cubs would visit our property in broad daylight looking for a chance…..we built Fort Knox literally, its currently killing us taking it down lol as we no longer have our chucks!! Xx
What lovely pictures. Love living in the English countryside vicariously through you.
FYI I've signed up to follow through e-mail several times…with no luck in actually getting the e-mails. Not sure what is up with that.
Great post, I'm sorry for your hens. :(. I'm hoping to get 2-3 hens this summer.
~Sophia
http://plaidismyfavouritecolour.blogspot.com/
Thank you for the lovely pictures!
Long live the new gang!!
That's sad to hear about the hens, glad you got some more. Hopefully the fence will help. We recently visited a friend who has some chickens on his property. My kids really enjoyed chasing after them and feeding them. Their biggest problems have been snakes. Although, in our neck of the woods, snakes is pretty common around here.
BTW, awesome drawing of you and the family with the chickens, so cool!