State of the flock, May 2020

In the yard, Apr 202

Right now we have 11 chickens confined to their yard (though allowed a few hours of free range per day) and four ducks (two male, two female) full time free ranging--sans vegetable patch of course.  We've had a few deaths over the past couple of months, mostly of old hens but also one young hen had an accidental death.  Egg production ranges from about five to eleven eggs per day, with the ducks being the most reliable:  we're getting two duck eggs almost every day.


I notice that our vegetable patch, which the ducks had access to for a few weeks over winter and spring, has a lot less slug pressure than usual.  Coincidence?  I'll probably let them back on it over summer once in a while too--under supervision--after the vegetables are grown.

The husband has put up posts at the allotment, ordered a long length of wire and made a chicken-proof gate;  we already have a little coop up there--it sleeps around four.  He plans on finishing the whole set up soon (I hope!) and we will move some of the hens up there.  There's a big grassy patch for them to clear up for us.