A 21st century good life in Bristol: part 4 - chickens!

When I started this blog to try to live more frugally and self-sufficiently, I imagined my efforts would revolve around growing veg, shopping locally and a bit of making do and mending. Livestock would be confined to the wormery (and I think I have the world’s laziest worms)

Then, out of the blue, our relatively new neighbours asked us if we’d like to have a share in a chicken enterprise with them. I couldn’t believe our luck. Recently, James and Holly Strawbridge wrote about keeping chickens in Countryfile Magazine – it looked simple but we’d need to give up too much of our precious growing space.

Our neighbours’ garden is at least 10 times the size of ours and perfect for all sorts of grow your own endeavours. But I’d never thought they’d consider chickens.

The deal was perfect. We get a few free eggs and they have someone to look after the chickens whenever they’re away. Plus we could give them our kitchen scraps to keep the food bills down.

So we held a council of war and decided that we could convert their old rabbit house – it was basically a garden shed with a big pen. But it lacked snug nestboxes for the chickens to lay their eggs in.

While the neighbours and their children began converting the main building, my wife and I volunteered to build the nestboxes. There was plenty of spare timber from various renovations being carried out so, will barely a plan in my head, we got to work.

Two days later and the darn thing still isn’t finished. It’s a botch and botch after botch job. I’ve always dreamed of becoming a carpenter but on this evidence I really should hang up the hammer and sling the screwdriver. I must have broken at least 5 drill bits and the whole thing is a monster. But I tacked some roofing felt over the top and this seems to hide a multitude of evils while keeping rain out.

But, despite my ineptitude, we’re a step closer to being (part) chicken owners for the first time…

I’ll post a photo when it’s done. Be nice.

Once the henhouse and run are finished, it’s time to choose the chooks. That's the bit I'm really looking forward to.

Fergus Collins

Fergus Collins is the editor of Countryfile Magazine and enjoys growing, foraging and harvesting his own food from his home in Bristol.