Kitchen Garden Forum

I've always been amazed at the characters that emerge from the hen flock. We have a fairly young Isa brown hybrid at the moment who has discovered a roundabout route into the garden, which is banned to hens. She joined us the other day when we were weeding the rhubarb patch and manuring it. We had to watch we didn't spear her with a fork as she dived for worms right under our feet. Later in the week I was pushing onion sets into prepared ground and she came running out of nowhere to see what I was up to. Finally, we found her by the back door clucking to us to come out! She was tame when she came to us as a POL pullet. Hens have to be my favourite livestock.

Dear jane E, i have always been amazed by by the range of characters you get with chickens, never a dull moment with them.

Hi Jane

Your story gives me a chance to introduce Olwen (AKA Kitch-hen), also a Warren/Isa brown. She joined us 15 months ago as POL. Very soon after being let out in the field she discovered that she could squeeze under the gate between the field and the house and come to the kitchen door. None of her "sister" Warrens or any of the other 16 hens, who see her do this, has ever followed her, even though they see what happens when she gets there. If the door is closed she waits until she makes eye contact with one of us, then runs to the door waiting for it to be opened. Then into the kitchen, round the door to stand under the cupboard where the bread bin is, and waits demandingly. A slice of bread goes onto the doormat outside and she starts in the middle and eats outward to the crust, which she leaves, as being only fit for common hens!

Definitely a superior hen Alan, I do hope it is fresh bread you give her, and not the stale leftovers intended for the common hens?

Elle's Garden wrote:Definitely a superior hen Alan, I do hope it is fresh bread you give her, and not the stale leftovers intended for the common hens?

The very thought! A fresh slice every time for her!

...and none of that wholemeal brown nonsense either; only the best white will satisfy

Exactly as I expected Alan, and quite right too!

I'd like to know how they know whether something is going to be good to eat, if they haven't had it before.

When I give my three Black Rocks something new, they will (a) look outraged for a while, then try it and like it, (b) know they like it already even though they haven't had it before, and scrap over it, or (c) go barmy over it before it has even hit the floor, as with the cold mashed potato today.

One of lifes mysteries.

Morning Pongeroon, crafty old things, these farmyard birds.