Hello and welcome to The Compost Bin. I'm Compostwoman and I live with my family in rural Herefordshire. We have nearly four acres of garden and woodland, all managed organically and to Permaculture principles, which we share with Chickens, Cats and assorted wildlife. We also grow a lot of our own food, run courses in all sorts of things and make a lot of compost!

I am a Master Composter and have spent more than a decade as a volunteer Community Compost adviser with Garden Organic and my local Council.
I'm a self employed Environmental Educator so I run workshops and events where I talk about compost, veg growing, chicken keeping, cooking, preserving and sustainable living. I also run crafts workshops and Forest School/outdoor play sessions in our wood.

We try to live a more self sufficient lifestyle here, as best we can, while still having a comfortable life and lots of fun.


To learn more about us click on the About Compostwoman tab and remember to click on the photos to make them full size!


Wednesday, 28 August 2013

New arrivals and a very proud, very caring Mama Hen


This is what I videoed, yesterday afternoon.

And this is what greeted me when I went out to check on Nutmeg this morning :)






Two chicks have hatched!

The dark one is a French Copper Blue Marans, the creamy one is a French Wheaten Marans cockerel x Cream Legbar hen.

And here is a video of their first few steps :)



Nutmeg, aged nearly 6, a generic ginger hybrid, first time broody hen :) Well done lovely hen :)
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9 comments:

  1. Jane Le Galloudec29 August 2013 at 12:44

    Oh My how wonderful! Our chickens arrive next month and I am still dithering as to whether to get a cockerel or not... I am thinking yes, but I have heard such tales of them being pretty protective of the hens and I don't relish a battle every time I need to go near them. Seeing your chicks has made me think it might be worth it!

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    Replies
    1. Compostwoman29 August 2013 at 12:57

      It is pretty special :) I never tire of seeing new chicks hatch :)

      I don't have a cockerel at the moment, I just got some fertile eggs from a breeder friend and put them under her to see what would happen. One was fertile but died at day 18 :( and sadly the cream egg in the above picture is infertile and has been removed.

      Chicks doing well today :) been outside with Nutmeg and explored the wider world of the Wood :)

      Delete
  2. Z29 August 2013 at 15:13

    Adorable. Mother hens are so sweetly protective and happy, aren't they?

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    Replies
    1. Compostwoman29 August 2013 at 15:18

      And protective! She saw off babs the Bully hen, today for just looking from 6 feet away.

      She is fine with me around the chicks, though and has brought them over to eat from my hand :)

      Delete
  3. Lindac29 August 2013 at 20:30

    That's so adorable:)
    Our rescue hens are getting broody and 2 of them insist on sitting even though the eggs are infertile - we do have a Silkie cockerel but he hates the big hens and keeps his own counsel with the silkie hen. The silkie hen lays and sits, even hatches them but then they seem to die :( managed to save 2 chicks but we haven't tried her with any since.
    I may have to just shove some silkie eggs under those other broody hens :)

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  4. Sue30 August 2013 at 15:40

    Just what you need after the last few days, something joyous and happy, and new chicken life is just that.

    Congratulations, and good luck to the lovely Mama Hen on keeping her little charges safe :-)

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  5. tpals1 September 2013 at 06:57

    Sweet. I love watching a new mama doing her thing.

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  6. Angela Shaw3 September 2013 at 01:34

    So special and wonderful to watch.

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  7. Lana4 September 2013 at 16:48

    Congratulations to Mrs. Nutmeg!! What a special thing for her to get to do, especially so far along in years. Really neat!!

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