News From The Coop
Welcome back to another Friday edition of News From The Coop, where the chickens continue reminding us that no matter how much planning you do, they are always in charge.
The biggest news from the orchard this week is that our two new girls, Cher and Marilyn, have officially settled in. The pecking order drama seems to be mostly behind us, and the girls have become part of the flock surprisingly quickly. In fact, they may have settled in a little too well. After spending their first week avoiding the roosting bars altogether, they have now decided that the very top bar is the place to be. Every evening they squeeze themselves in alongside all the older girls, despite there being plenty of space elsewhere in the coop. Apparently personal space is not something chickens believe in. They all huddle together like feathery commuters on a rush-hour train, and somehow everyone seems perfectly happy with the arrangement.
The laying department is also doing well. The girls are still working hard and we’re getting a steady supply of eggs through winter, which is always appreciated. Well… most of the girls are working hard. Madonna, however, remains true to form. Our resident diva has decided that one egg every second day is a perfectly acceptable contribution to the household. She still arrives first for treats, supervises all activities and offers plenty of opinions, but when it comes to actual productivity, she appears to be operating on her own schedule.
As usual.
One project we’re very excited about is a new composting area we’re planning inside the orchard and chicken run. If you’ve spent any time around chickens, you’ll know they are surprisingly talented compost managers. Give a flock a pile of leaves, grass clippings, kitchen scraps and garden waste, and they’ll happily spend hours scratching, turning and mixing everything for you.
The idea is to create a dedicated compost section where we can add garden waste while the girls do what they do best. Their constant scratching helps aerate the material, their manure adds valuable nutrients, and any insects or grubs that move in become an instant chicken buffet. Over time, it should help us create beautiful compost while keeping the girls entertained. A win-win situation. Or at least that’s the theory. We’ll let you know what the chickens think once the committee meeting has been held beneath the guava tree.
Talking about the orchard, one question I often get asked is whether chickens help control pests such as False Codling Moth. The answer is yes… to a degree.
While the chickens won’t solve a False Codling Moth problem on their own, they can definitely help reduce numbers. When infested fruit drops to the ground, the larvae often leave the fruit and move into the soil to continue their life cycle. A flock of enthusiastic chickens scratching beneath fruit trees can help expose and eat some of these larvae and pupae before they emerge as adult moths. They’ll also happily snack on a wide range of insects they find while scratching through mulch and leaf litter.
Of course, the girls don’t understand integrated pest management. They simply see movement and assume it’s lunch. That’s why we still rely on good orchard hygiene, removing infested fruit, using traps where needed and keeping a close eye on our trees. The chickens are best viewed as enthusiastic assistants rather than full-time pest controllers.
Although judging by their confidence levels, they would probably describe themselves as senior management.
Until next week, Friends.
If you need us, we’ll be in the orchard building a compost pile while a group of feathered supervisors watches closely and critiques every decision.
Tash en die Familie
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