The Hennery - chickens in my town garden

22/08/2024

Not chickens, but other animals, and we should all be looking to the future in our care for our environment, right? We've just been to see "Wilding" at the wonderful Electric Palace cinema in Hastings. A film about Knepp Wilding. This is a film everyone should see and I'm sure it'll be available online very soon, if it isn't already. Thoroughly recommended.

15/08/2024

Mr H found this play on the BBC. Funny, poignant and just, well, lovely. If you need a lift, please try it.

Darkly comic, heart-warming drama by Christine Entwisle.

06/08/2024

Anyone tried growing wineberries in their garden? My chickens have full access to my garden and my success with berries has been limited. The little blighters love to fill up on my gooseberries, currants, strawberries and blueberries. As do the wild birds! Wine berries, however, have a slightly prickly, sticky calix (?) around each fruit, which means that the birds don't like harvesting them. Win! It's a bit strange picking them, but well worth it for the sweet and juicy fruit (wait until the berries are dark red and at their best). The chickens like to follow me around picking up any stragglers. Everyone's happy!

28/02/2024

We're looking for another bantam hen to join our flock. Not fussy about the breed, but preferably youngish. If you hear of any for sale or needing homes in South East England, please let me know. Thank you.

27/10/2023

We had a near disaster this morning! I was at work and Mr H was alerted by the chickens that something was amiss. He looked out the window to see a fox jumping on top of the coop! He ran outside and chased off the offender (we have loads in this town - people feed them, but obviously not quite enough). Now this weekend will be spent finding ways to prevent such a security breach in the future ... and thanking goodness that Mr H is not an early riser and had not opened the enclosure when the fox arrived. I hope you all have a trouble-free weekend 🙂

25/09/2023

A beautiful September day and I'm out in the garden again (with the chickens of course) checking on the last of this year's produce, revamping and tidying the back yard in preparation for winter, lunch in the garden - homemade chutney with cheese & crackers, a bunch of grapes from our grapevine and pasta with homegrown tomato, herb and garlic sauce for dinner. Mr H said "it's like Little House on the Prairie here". I'm taking that as a compliment!

07/09/2023

Here's Vera settling in with her new crew! What I really wanted to mention was that until a few days ago I had absolutely no idea that you could use all squash as you would courgettes if you pick them early. Obvious really, and we're not a big fan of overly sweet veg, so this is perfect for us. The squash develop their sweetness as they ripen. Like I said, obvious! Anyway, we have two "volunteer" squash growing and producing in our garden. We didn't plant them, but they're butternut and summer squash. One of my favourite meals is Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's creamed courgette pasta, chopped and cooked down slowly with plenty of salt and garlic. Add a slug of cream and a load of grated cheddar (or probably whatever cheese you prefer), mix with cooked pasta and serve. It's yum! Even more yum I think made with immature squash. Goodbye glut!

03/09/2023

I hope you're all making the most of this spell of gorgeous weather! We went to St Leonards market yesterday, a walk round town and visited a friend who had her studio open as part of Coastal Currents. What a lovely day and great to be out and about. Today, we went to a vintage market, saw the fabulous Los Twangueros in bottle alley on the prom near us, then homeward via our local pub and a catch up with the non-sun worshipping fraternity. Now we're home having Sunday lunch (complete with damson crumble & custard - weather be damned!). The hens are all getting along very well now and I've given myself a break from gardening and it's been so good!

20/08/2023

Meet Vera, the newest member of our Hennery family! She's a nice calm little hen who is taking the move in her stride. She'd obviously never met a dog before and is not too keen on our two! They'll get used to each other. Cagney and Saga have been stressing, with varying degrees of emphasis, their superior places in the pecking order. Vera's just backing off, which is the way they like it. It'll take time, but I'm sure they'll be the best of friends eventually ☺️

08/08/2023

So sad that our little bantam cross hen, Lew, died in her sleep a couple of days ago, leaving her two friends a bit confused. Three is the magic number with these little chooks in our smallish garden and so if you should hear of a single bantam needing rehoming in the Hastings area, please send me a message. Integration of a single hen is not a problem with these little birds - they'll just be so happy to have another friend, as will we.

16/07/2023

It's about 12 or more years since I started The Hennery page. It's been a blast so far, especially the early years, starting up a chicken boarding business, learning more in-depth info on chicken keeping and enjoying all the other pages (and their owners) found as a result. I know so much more about animal husbandry, food production and preservation, overseas customs and just how similar people are the world over. Soon after I started the page, I got to know the owner of another page in the US and we hit it off straight away. Our chicken chat developed into a real friendship and we found we had a lot more in common than chickens. She had a trip planned to the UK and we promised to make time to meet each other. Life intervened and the plan was put on hold until a couple of weeks ago. In the interim years she had married, had 2 daughters, moved house and changed careers. In turn, I had married, moved and wound up two businesses. When we first met, we were both a bit nervous, but were soon chatting away like old friends, getting to know each other better and meeting the families we'd heard so much about! It was great, and I only wish we could have had more time together. There are so many things I forgot to say! Chickens. Bringing humans together since before humans evolved (probably).

29/05/2023

Greetings from the South Downs.

11/04/2023

Here's the update that we, and our hens, have all been waiting for! 🙌 Poultry and other captive birds in England and Wales can be let outside from 00:01 on the 18th of April 2023, unless you are in a 3km protection or captive bird (monitoring) controlled zone.

Those who intend to allow their birds outside are advised to use the upcoming days to prepare their outside areas for the release of their birds. This will include cleansing and disinfecting hard surfaces, fencing off ponds or standing water and reintroduction of wild bird deterrents.

For further information please see APHA's latest press release:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/bird-keepers-must-maintain-scrupulous-biosecurity-standards-as-housing-measures-set-to-be-lifted?fbclid=IwAR2gjhpUX2v4jtwqQHj1xOU0fcgvwFtANtyHSBoIyXfaIelHCr-gTSHKvjM

To check whether your location falls in a Protection or Controlled Zone, please see the map:

https://defra.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=8cb1883eda5547c6b91b5d5e6aeba90d

Animal and Plant Health Agency

23/02/2023

It's been a great day so far for Cagney, Lew & Saga. We decided to dismantle a big compost bin and so they've been "helping" us redistribute the contents. We've put some on our large planters, some on the rhubarb and have several bags left for a new bed we have planned (we'll get around to it shortly!) It's raining now and so we're having a break. I'll leave the girls to finish the spreading.

12/02/2023

There's no doubt that our dog Gertie is built like a brick sh*thouse. She also has a battering ram-like ability to break back into the house from the garden. She's prepared to take quite a run at the door. Pug cross Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. With a bit of Bull Terrier on the side, do you think?

15/06/2022

Relaxing in the sunshine with Mr H, the dogs, cat, hens and a lovely cuppa ... until the fox appeared! We chased him/her off and secured the chickens. As a side note, neither the chickens nor the dogs noticed the fox. Not sure about the cat, but she appeared to be fast asleep! Now Mr H and our next door neighbour are off to Wickes to get a bit of trellis to try to stop this happening again. Fingers crossed and no harm done this time!

05/06/2022

Hens needing homes - collection from Hastings.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

RESERVATIONS FOR THIS ARE NOW CLOSED - ALL HENS HAVE NOW BEEN ALLOCATED 😃😃

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

☹️☹️ WE STILL HAVE HENS AVAILABLE FOR COLLECTION FROM OUR ‘POP UP’ REHOME THIS COMING SATURDAY 11th JUNE FROM HAILSHAM☹️☹️

URGENT PLEA - HOMES NEEDED FOR 120 HOMELESS HENNIES

Chicken Rescue UK recently collected 600 hens that had been left behind by another organisation. Had we not stepped in these girls would have had to have been despatched ☹️ so of course we took them all.

Happily, they are all safe, and most have gone to their new loving homes, but we do have 30 of these gorgeous girls with no homes to go to here in Sussex. Have you got space to take some ? They are currently at our Hastings hen bank, but we can get them to Hailsham if needed.

We also have another 90 homeless hens that are currently being held at our collection point in Biggin Hill, Kent. They would also love to find loving homes of their very own. These can be brought down to us here in Sussex for collection from either Hailsham or Hastings.

If you have room please reserve via the website at www.chickenrescue.co.uk you will need to submit photos of your coop/run and any free range area they will have access to. We are hoping these girls will be snapped up by you lovely lot, so if you can take some don’t delay and reserve now. Thank you Sue & Carolynn ###x

25/04/2022

At last! Bank holiday Monday will now be all about letting my long suffering girls out, packing away the run extension, giving the coop and run a thorough clean and refresh and watching those girls scratch and forage in their garden. Freedom!

Poultry and other captive birds can be let outside from 2nd May 2022 unless you are within a 3 km Protection Zone. But there are some vital preparations you must make before you let your birds out. See our press notice for full details https://www.gov.uk/government/news/bird-flu-latest-situation-avian-influenza-prevention-zone-declared-across-great-britain

You can check if you fall within a 3 km Protection Zone by visiting our interactive map and entering your postcode. https://defra.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=8cb1883eda5547c6b91b5d5e6aeba90d

If you fall within a 3 km Protection Zone birds must remain housed.

Although the requirement to house your birds is ending for most keepers, the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone remains in place. This means you must continue to practise strong biosecurity, as there is still a risk your birds could catch . See our biosecurity guidehttps://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1064069/biosecurity-poultry-guide.pdf

20/03/2022

Have you got room in your garden (and your heart) for any of these girls? They really deserve a happy retirement ... the eggs are just a bonus!

08/01/2022

Lew laid an egg! After months recovering from a terrible and seemingly ongoing moult, she's done it! Happy days 😊

05/01/2022

Oh my goodness! Mr H was looking out the window to check that I didn't need help getting my car started this morning (I didn't!) and a fox appeared over the fence from next door! Sometimes you're grateful that your chooks are safely locked down for avian flu. Now what to do about the new fox path ...

29/11/2021

Mr H and I have spent today (off and on) rigging up a bit more space for the girls now that they are locked down by means of a plastic cloche tunnel and various odds and ends. Very Beverly Hillbillies. Maybe once they get over their abject fear of our efforts, they'll be nosy enough to creep along the pre-tunnel tunnel to see what all the fuss has been about. Perhaps tomorrow. Perhaps never, but we can only try. The things we do for those ladies. Do they appreciate it? I doubt it.

28/11/2021

Look at these beauties? People of Hastings and surrounds - do you have a good home to offer these ladies?

25/11/2021

Well ... here we go again ... Lockdown measures for all birds (except for the wild ones) from Monday 29th November 2021. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/bird-flu-latest-situation-avian-influenza-prevention-zone-declared-across-great-britain

Poultry keepers must take action now to protect their flocks from bird flu this winter.

25/10/2021

"It's time for elevenses!"