Mommy Bobby, one of Solly’s hens, chose to make her nest under a truck canopy lying on the lawn in the workshop area of our business (Tarlton, Gauteng, South Africa), waiting to be fitted on one of the trucks, snugly out of the rain and harm’s way. For three weeks the workshop staff waited impatiently (upon my strict threats that the canopy was not to be touched!) as Bobby sat on her clutch of 12 eggs, fluffing herself to double her normal size should anybody dare to come near.
Then, at about 11am on the 31st December 2010, she triumphantly emerged from underneath the canopy, keeping her brood of 10 close to her side, much to the pleasure and relief of all in the workshop, who immediately got to work moving the canopy, now leaving Bobby and her brood totally homeless!
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Now I know I was supposed to do this long before the time, but Solly and I quickly scrambled to erect a make-shift new home for them so that they wouldn't be caught in the rain that was looming, finishing the coup that same afternoon. At about 4pm, we slowly herded them towards their new home, securely fenced, protected against the rain and a large area where they stayed for about a week before I opened the gate and introduced them to the garden. Now they spend their days happily scratching around in the garden before she leads them home back to the coup at about 4.30pm every day.
Mommy and her brood quickly took to the new housing, snug and safe on the fresh straw I put down for them.
I’m really enjoying having chickens in my garden once more after an absence of almost 2 years!