chookyard

Three little chooks on lay are we!
Pert as a chooky well can be!
Filled to the brim with egg-ish glee-ee!
Three little chooks are on lay!

The western chookyard is a relatively new addition to our yard, suitable for newcomers and anyone who needs corraling. We got a netting up over the top which does pretty well at keeping them in and keeping the wee-burdies-going-cheep (a.k.a. The Indian Myna) from dive-bombing the girls.

The chook house there is the one that they all started in when they first arrived at our place: brand new and a little apprehensive at this New Place and these New Peoples. Hainan and Honey (RIP) arrived in it as part of a package deal - Rent-A-Chook. It's lasted pretty well, although the netting base has rusted through (so I pulled it off) and one of the base frames has finally rotted. I'll have to replace that at some point over the summer. But it's a great pen for keeping chooks in when they're sick or being picked on, and also for integrating new girls.

I've started growing plants along the back fence: problem is that the space doesn't get a lot of sun, either in summer or in winter. It would be a really great place to grow things that like wet and shady... The ones doing well in the back are: INDIAN BORAGE, BORAGE, COMFREY, NZ LILIES. I may not want the lilies in with the chooks: aren't the liliums poisonous or something? I did see someone say something about planting daffodils to keep back the grass, but I think that might be more useful elsewhere in the garden...

Otherwise, on the north side of the chookyard, I have various upturned wire baskets to allow things to grow and not be pecked to death or scratched up by the roots by the chooky girls. To that, (or just outside the wire fence) I should like to add: AMARANTH, SNAKE BEANS, and PIGEON PEAS to give some shade come midsummer (which is now upon us).