Happy hens archive

Claire

Hi, just a quick email to let you know how well the two Goldlines we bought from you have settled in.

They are a very happy group with the two hens we already had, so thank you for all the help and advice you gave us. They are also laying very well, and are both amazingly friendly - we can pick them up and cuddle them, and the children love stroking them.

They are called Honey and Dopey - and if you'd like to see a picture of them, have a look on my blog hensandeggs.blogspot.com - the latest entries have some pics of the 2 hens we got from you.

Thanks again! They are a great addition to our family!

Martin, Northampton

Hi Jude,

Just a quick note to say thanks for the chickens which I purchased from you on 12 May.

They have settled in very well and are clearly enjoying life in Northampton. They have free range all day so the lawn is showing a few scars - but I suppose that is par for the course and a price well worth paying to have happy hens. Their antics give us much amusement and pleasure. The Bovan Goldline is absolutely tame and follows us around the garden hoping for titbits. The Speckled Star and both Bluebells are still a bit skittish and cannot be picked up yet but we are feeding them from the hand so hopefully trust will soon be established. This evening they great fun scrapping over long spaghetti.

For the last 2 days we have rewarded with an egg (presumably from the Goldline).

Tina, Ben, Oskar and Kasper

Hi Jude,

Please find attached some pics of the girls. We've only had them for a few weeks but we've grown to love them dearly. The kids adore them and even the cats think they are great!

Keep up the good work.
Best wishes
Tina, Ben, Oskar and Kasper

Ali, Mark, Morgan and Cole

Hello Jude,

Just a quick update to let you know that one week in (after sadly having to return to swap our very 'hen-pecked' Black Star for another Amber Star) we now have a very happy and harmonious chicken coop. The Goldlines, Ruby and Copper, are definitely in charge but Amber and Pearl the Amber Stars don't seem to mind at all.

Morgan and Cole are loving their new chickens and Morgan clearly listened to every word of your introductory talk ( you must let me know the secret!) and as you can see from the picture has been spending time in with the chickens and his patience certainly has won them over and after just 5 days they were happily taking food from him. They even seem happy with Cole (just 2) paying them visits and if he gets to noisy or moves to quick they just tell him off. Very funny to watch & listen to and he just thinks they are talking to him.

As predicted they have been fascinating to watch and we are all delighted with them. Chicken keeping is however not at all good for the housework, as I keep wandering outside to see what they are up to, or for getting children to bed on time as they now have to go out and say goodnight to their hens!

Thank you too for all the expert & friendly advice you gave us, both when we were getting everything set up for the chickens and when we came to collect them. We all came away feeling equipped to take care of our chickens after our introductory talk and they certainly seemed to have adjusted well. Once settled into their new home they came straight out to explore and then kindly took themselves off to bed at the end of the day. Just as they have done every day since.

I am just so pleased that I came across your excellent website, what an excellent starting place for any would-be chicken owner.

Thank you again,
Ali, Mark, Morgan and Cole

P.S. I read recently that chickens are not the cleverest of creatures but they have still managed to do something with my two boys that I have never managed to do - get them to sit both still & quiet for 20 minutes !!!!

Sean Fiona and Charlie

Jude,

They finally all got names: The Speckledies became Chick, Chick (Charlie wouldn’t be persuaded otherwise) and Attila (the Hen) she is definitely the boss. The 2 Goldlines are Camilla after the(chicken in the Muppet show) and Harriet after Harry Houdini, because she can get out of any run we build, and escapes almost every day.

They are all laying well, one of the speckleds is laying huge eggs, with loads of double yokes. Camilla refuses to lay in the house or the run, but the second we let her out she heads for a Laurel bush 100 yards away and lays one under there.

They have become incredibly friendly and sprint across the garden as soon as they see one of us. Charlie loves feeding them out of his hands and chasing them round the garden.

Best regards, Sean Fiona and Charlie

Victoria Swan

Hi Jude,

Sorry to take a while with the photos but as it has been so wet, the White Stars have been rather brown! After a few dry days they are now white again. As you can see they have settled really well and after 5 days separation from our old Black Rocks, they are now happily sharing the same hen house. They are really friendly and love being cuddled, and egg production is starting to increase. Thanks again for these lovely little hens.

Best wishes, Victoria Swan

Fiona

Hi Jude,

Better late than never, but it's taken a long time for me to get around to loading these photos. "The girls" have settled in well, and all seem very happy with life. They have been named Sashlik (my husband and i wanted to name the other two Tikka and Korma) but were out voted by the children who have called the remaining two Emma and Annabel. The Ark type run lasted about two weeks before i started making noises for something bigger and much to my husbands disgust he has now built (over two very hot weekends) an 20 ft by 20ft run for them.

Thanks for all your help and advise am busy recommending you to any of my friends who may be thinking of joining the "hen club"
Regards, Fiona

Terry Horsman

Hello Jude,

I purchased 6 of your White Star from you on April 1st.

From someone who has kept backyard birds for a while. I have rarely seen such healthy and well reared chickens. They are a real credit to you. It just goes to show that if basic rearing and hygiene principles are followed then the results are there for all to see.

You can tell when birds are happy. Yours definitely are. I have recommended you to some of my similarly minded friends.

Thank you and regards, Terry Horsman

Julie Broadhurst, Goring on Thames

Hi Jude,

I've sent you three photos of the girls in the garden. They are a joy and very very tame, laying eggs every day and getting on fine, we're very pleased with them!

Helen, Andy, Ellie and Kitty

Hi Jude

Chickens are happy and settled in their new home! They were quickly christened Flo, Rosie and Polly - Flo is definately "Mother Hen" and keeps everyone in line!

We have had three eggs so far - not sure which one is laying them but looking forward to lots more soon!

Thank you so much for all of your help, I'm sure we will see you again soon as I'm not convinced we'll be content with just the three!

Janie Stephenson

Hi Jude

Just to say a big thank you for all your help when we bought our chickens off you today.

We travelled for 1 hour to see you and it was well worth it, you made us all feel so confident with the knowledge you gave us. We got the drink and feeder on the way home and as you said put the girls in their house for an hour. Then we opened the door and out they came as happy as can be. Have just returned from putting them to bed although they were quite happy being out. The boys have named them Pepper, Jess and Gloria, not sure where those came from. Have attached a photo so you can see where they will be living. Again thank you so much and I am sure we will be back in the future for more.

Bye for now, Janie Stephenson

Nick and Marcia

Our Happy Chickens

Hi Jude,

Just thought I'd send you a quick email and photos of our chickens! Nugget (the Bovan Goldline) and Dipper (the white star) settled into their new home very quickly and are very happy!
To our amazement I opened the door to their house to let them out, on the morning of Easter Sunday, only to find our first egg! Nugget couldn't have timed it any better! You said it would only be a couple of weeks - and it was, to the day! I spent the first few minutes trying to find the lion mark on the egg, thinking it was a set up! Since then, we've had 2 more nice eggs from her which were delicious!

All the best, Nick and Marcia

Julie & Rob

3 really settled in welsh chickens!

After three days the chickens have really settled in and have the run of the garden. You were right about the Goldline, as you can see in the photo she was the first to sit on my lap and feed out of my hand. We never would have believed you could have so much fun with chickens!

The "Barford Family"

Hi Jude,

Our 3 new friends travelled well and have settled quickly into their new home. They have now been named ; Lizzie , Mary, and Margot. Good News - we had our first egg today!!!Christopher was pleased and soon enjoyed it on some toast! Thanks for your advice and support, we felt very comfortable and at ease with you and for novices like ourselves very much appreciated.

Many thanks

Adrian, Sarah, Ned, Bertie and Esme

Hello Jude,

Firstly, thank you very much for your help and assistance this morning, it was much appreciated. We all arrived back safely and the hens quickly settled into their new home. And just when we thought things couldn't get better our first egg arrived just 3 hours after we had got back.

Thanks again, Adrian, Sarah, Ned, Bertie and Esme

Nicola Lenton

Hi Jude,

Just thought I would let you know that Rosa laid her first egg yesterday after weeks of waiting, My son was so pleased. Also thought you might like to see their new Omlet Eglu house, we think its great, they also love scratching around the garden and run up to us when we are out in the garden.
Many thanks for all you help and information.

Kind regards, Nicola Lenton xxxx