The hens are laying! They started laying eggs last week. Such an exciting moment in our animal husbandry experience. They are just a little over 5 months old and we've had them since they were chicks. We are told that laying at 5 months shows that they are happy and healthy. Along with an unending supply of chicken feed, the "girls" enjoy a smorgasbord of treats from termites to our green waste that is sometimes writhing with maggots. Before they started to lay, we let them out of the coop fairly early in the day. In the beginning, they preferred to huddle underneath our elevated terrace. It provided good cover from any predators and lots of dirt to scratch.
As they have matured, they are more adventurous and roam about the upper portion of the property. They love to follow M around. Maybe because he is tall and provides predator protection. Mostly, they love it when he is digging holes for planting. Once he has cleared away the ground cover, they get in and dig around in the newly disturb dirt searching for insect treats. I often look out and see the flock trailing behind him as he moves from one spot to the next. Their next favorite activity is a "dust bath." Chickens use a dust bath as a way to clean mites from the feathers and skin. M has a large pile of planting soil that is a combination of soil from the bottom of a dried pond on the palm plantation up the road and cow manure from Dan Amado's pasture. The soil sits on a huge blue tarp next to the house. M covers it up each night to keep it dry. When we let the girls out of the coop, they gather around the edges of the tarp as we open it up. Then each of them takes a turn scratching and burying themselves into the dirt. Sometimes, there will be 2 or 3 of them in the pile throwing up dust and flapping their wings. As I was opening the tarp the other morning, the hens dove under the folds and started squawking. One had a tiny mouse in its beak. Hens are very competitive for food and there was quite a bit of scurrying, dodging and squawking until the victor ran off with her treasure.
Our biggest challenge is keeping them off the terrace. We have a set of stairs that runs the whole length of the terrace along the driveway and a 2nd steeper set of stairs on the opposite side. Of course, the girls are curious to search for any tasty insects. Also, they are crazy for coconut and pineapple. M opens up the coconuts next to the terrace and keeps his machete there. I often find a hen huddled over his machete.
It wouldn't be a problem if they didn't poop anywhere at anytime. So for most of the afternoon, one or the other of us are on terrace duty. It may be my imagination but I think that they are learning that it is a "no go" zone. In the beginning, I'd chase them off the terrace, saying, "Off, off, off." Sometimes now, I can remain lying in the comfort of my hammock and shout, "off, off, off" and the offender will turn its feathery butt and descend the stairs.
M wanted hens. He was researching chicken coop design and hen related topics before we left California. I amiably acquiesced and thinking that it was be his little project. Now, I so enjoy hearing their clucking and cooing as they strut about the yard. It is fascinating to watch their responses and interactions with us and each other. These hens are so low maintenance and provide wonderful benefits that I can't imagine not having them. They let us pick them up. Though, I'm not going to be chicken crazy and start kissing them like I've read. Though this step into animal companionship is moving us closer to the decision to get a dog. More on that soon.
Comments