I´m finally back....

Almost two years ago to the day since my last blog post.... I gave up my part time job and took the plunge into being totally self-employed, which has meant lots of work and even less time than before. Of course I´m still creating and I run my shop in the summer, and I´m also working as a freelance translator, so if you´re in need of a skilled German or Danish translator you know whom to get in touch with!

I will continue to write about my craftwork and little shop, my passion for vintage stuff, our life in an old farmhouse in the Danish countryside, my big cottage garden and our efforts to live a sustainable lifestyle.

Today I want to write about my chickens. We´ve made some additions to our flock recently and currently have 9 hens and a rooster. Most of them are bantam breeds, but I also bought two Easter Eggers, and look what beautiful eggs I get from them!

I love my chickens, and everyone who has the possibility should consider getting their own little flock. Chickens are entertaining, lovely to watch when free ranging in the garden, the amount of work they cause is manageable and nothing can beat the fresh eggs from your own hens! My chickens often wait by the front door begging for treats (oatmeal or sunflower seeds are very popular), which is so cute and makes me smile every time.

I believe that chickens should be allowed to free range under controlled conditions - ours have a safe run where we keep them when we´re out, but they roam the garden and horse field when we`re at home. This arrangement seems to work well and we haven´t lost any to predators yet, although we live very rural. Here you see them foraging on the horse field - this is how chickens should live in my opinion.

At the moment we get around 5 eggs per day from our 9 hens, as the bantams are not high perfomance layers and some of them are 4 years already so only lay every couple of days. The Easter Eggers are laying every day, so eggs in pretty shades of turquoise, olive green and cream are piling up in my kitchen.

And sometimes, you can be really lucky and get a double yolker - our Easter Egger Emma is laying them from time to time, not unusual for young hens who have just started to lay.

Do you keep chickens? I would love to hear about your flock then, so feel free to leave a comment!