free ranging
There is nothing so lovely as a happily sauntering hen, pecking some grass here, fluffing around in some dust there.
To a chicken fancier such as me, I'm not ashamed to say it, and one living in serious fox territory, free range chooks on pasture protected by Adam's fancy new poultry fence look mighty fine.
I think he got the fence through Allsun, after seeing it demonstrated at a Joel Salatin workshop in Jamberoo last year.
We're thinking of ordering another one for the broilers.
Once upon a time I would spend hours on food blogs, or breathtaking photography sites.
Now I'm searching out pages about raising ducks.
I love how things change.
How do you like your eggs?
xxx
Umatji
January 4, 2012 at 12:45 ami am such a duck fan. it is on my list to look up stuff about ducks when we get home. is there any noise finer than a quack?
Umatji
January 4, 2012 at 12:47 amoh and i forgot to ask – does it really keep foxes out?
Ngo Family Farm
January 4, 2012 at 2:42 amSoft-boiled 🙂
-Jaime
Sarah @fignutmum
January 4, 2012 at 7:04 amWe have ducks and chooks and I just love them.
But total time wasters as I just love watching their antics!
katepickle
January 4, 2012 at 6:03 pmOh that fence looks a bit ace (just checked out the web site)… We are usually ok if we lock our chooks up at night, but we once lost our entire flock in the middle of the day and while we were outside near by! Will be interested to hear how you like the fence!
Joolzmac
January 4, 2012 at 6:42 pm2 x free range poached (medium yolks thanks)on the plate, beside the toast. Salt and pepper.
Joolz
Bruisemouse
January 4, 2012 at 6:59 pmI love that top photo.
Charley
January 4, 2012 at 8:29 pmscrambled 🙂 with “chibes” (chives) picked by the kids
Cassandra
January 5, 2012 at 1:17 amPoached or hardboiled, or scrambled…mmmm eggs! Not too keen of fried though.
Darren (Green Change)
January 5, 2012 at 10:10 amLooks good! We’ll have to come over and check out your new chooks and pigs some time.
We’re just starting to get eggs from our ducks. Chooks will be coming once I get the pen security improved!
I like my eggs in a custard, bread-and-butter pudding or pavlova :-).
JenK
January 5, 2012 at 4:49 pmLooks great.How high is it? Can the chickens not go over it?
I lost 14 to dogs earlier this year and now have 4 locked and so need a new option.
Poached for me please.
innerpickle
January 5, 2012 at 8:50 pmno, I don’t believe so; or anything cuter than a duck waggling it’s tail. Truly.
innerpickle
January 5, 2012 at 8:51 pmyes so far, and certainly by reputation.
innerpickle
January 5, 2012 at 8:52 pmyep, am busting to come & visit your indian runners!!! hmmmm, custard…. xx
innerpickle
January 5, 2012 at 8:56 pm14??!! Ouch. about 1.2m high I think… good question about them going over it – they could, certainly, as we haven’t clipped them. They’d have to go straight over, no onto and over, as it’s electrified. By reputation it seems they don’t & it contains them. We’ll see. Their main big chookyard where they have their roosts and nesting boxes has 2.5m high fences. The yard has a gate in the back wall and the ‘netting run’ goes off that. Will report back!
Libby
January 6, 2012 at 5:55 amThose sure do look like happy chickens. We’ve got 9 chooks in a suburban backyard. There is no grass – it got destroyed by the first lot of chooks in a few months but there favourite spot is actually the side concrete fence or sitting on the window ledge of our lounge room. One day we hope to get a property and be able to free range the girls. But at least here we don’t have to worry about foxes or locking the girls in at night (though I’m still training 3 of them where to sleep).
innerpickle
January 6, 2012 at 9:37 amIm still training 30 of them where to sleep!!! And I think they like concrete because of the ants! xx