Maria and Edwin get Chooks

On Sunday the 12th of February 2006, Maria and Edwin got their first three hens from Giovanna (the ‘Chook woman’), a lovely new acquaintance from up the road. The family came around for dinner to welcome the girls, as did friends David and Kelly.

John, Clancy and Yuki brought some grapes and a giant zucchini from their own wonderful garden to help make the chooks feel at home in their new dome-shaped movable chook pen, made recently by Maria, Edwin and Felix, on some of the recent sweltering hot days Melbournians have experienced. The chook pen is also known as a ‘chook tractor’, as it is intended to be moved around the garden periodically, leaving in its wake mulched, fertilised garden beds ready for planting into.

Angelica cooked up a delicious feast of a beef stir-fry served with udon noodles, aided by Lee. As we were wondering what we might have for dessert, David and Kelly arrived to surprise us with some Satsuma plums from their own tree and a tasty freshly-baked cake made by Kelly. Michi and Edwin celebrated the evening with many games of chess, while David characteristically washed a mountain of dishes.

The hens began laying on their second day, and have been named Rosasharn, Ginger Beer and Ira Hayes. They are fed with household scraps, supplemented by fruit and vegetable scraps collected from the local grocer with Maria and Edwin’s new bicycle trailers.