Eggs!

I now have fresh eggs! My 2 big hens are laying. (they are also getting into my garden, which is making me more inclined to have roast chicken rather then a steady supply of eggs...) I gave away my first eggs to a friend the other day. It was such a nice feeling, to give some thing like that. The 2 little Chicky's are almost not Chicky's any more. The peeping has almost stopped and I catch them making more adult sounds. The are getting bigger. It wont be long and they will be laying as well.

My Garden is plodding along, but I had some trouble getting my Eden seeds to germinate (in the cold frame or in the garden) . The corn and 2 types of pumpkin did well in the garden until the chooks got in. They suffered some losses and war wounds, but my cucumbers and D's attempt at watermelons did not survive. I'll try and germinate some more tomato's, Mellon's and some other things that I maybe did not nurture well enough. In the mean time I went out to our locale nursery to purchased some herbs, Tomato's, beans and cucumbers to keep my gardening spirits up. I planted them yesterday, watered them, and then it rained. With only a month to go before my bub comes I'm taking it nice and easy in the garden.

My Chickens!

I have never had chickens before. I was a little unshore about them at first, not really being a bird person... but now I love them! They are funny and cute and hopefully will be giving me eggs soon. I Still have to keep the 2 little ones in a different cage at night because the 2 big hens are big bully's and peck them quite bad ( though not as bad as a week ago though) I hope to have them all in the same pen in a week or 2. The Pen I have is good for 4 chooks, but not to stay in all day and night. So they are all out free ranging being very happy little Chicky's!

This is what D, my husband, bought for my birthday. It came all in flat pack and he put it together. I loves it!

There is some info I gathered about my two types of chickens.

ISA Brown

• They are a hybrid and not a true breed. Made by crossing Rhode Island Reds and Rhode Island Whites together
• Created by a company to get the most value for money egg laying wise.
• There best egg laying time is in the first 18months. You may get 300 eggs per hen in the first year.
• They are good little pets ( in my opinion)

My 2 little New Hampshire

 New Hampshire

• Breed created in America in 1915
• A duel purpose bird ( meet and eggs)
• Lays brown eggs around 120 per hen a year

They are such a delight to watch, pecking and diffing and dust bathing and napping in the shade. After seeing just how happy my little guys are it really makes me rethink buying any chicken product that is not free range and looked after. To imagine those poor battery hens, just stuck there in tiny cages laying eggs. Never seeing the true light of day, never ruffling there feathers in the dirt. It is truly sad.
Just been told by D that all the chooks are in the veggie garden! I have to go get them out!

My first Blog ever.

My husband says this is a waste of time, that face book is the same thing.. but what the hell I say. I'll give it a whirl!
My husband and I are expecting our first baby. We both thought it was important to provide fresh fruit and veg for the little one, and to teach it where things come from. And that's how our garden got started. I have been looking into peraculture and it seems the way to go. Maybe not down to a T, but it's principles sound pretty sound to me. I'm very interested in heirloom plants and animals for my mini back yard farm.
So far We have a compost set up and 3 working veggie beds (so far).  Corn, cucumber, watermelon, pumpkin and potato's growing so far. And a little herb terrace just planted out.

No dig garden beds. Back one full of seed potato's.

So for my birthday I got given a very awesome chicken coop that can  fit about 4 chooks. And then I was given 4 chooks! 2 Isa Browns and (about to lay any minute) and 2 new Hampshire (just little chicks, but growing very fast).

Anyway, lets see what happens eh?