“Ain’t nobody here but us chickens” was a 1946 Louis Jordan song we thought may be sung as Covid-19 appeared in March and then lock-downs were announced. Would we be muppets if we kept working on the allotment and then the rules changed so we could not go and pick the harvest? Fortunately animal husbandry and food growing was allowed.
Weaste have half a plot with a coop and run created by the allotmenteers. The number of hens ebbs and flows dependant on their age and also visits from foxes and rats. Best efforts are made by a team of volunteers to ensure there ain’t nobody, but us chickens, in the coop. The original fable was about a chicken thief hiding in the hen house who said it when asked ‘who is making all that noise’ by the farmer. Foxes can find the smallest gap and make it wider, so if it has been windy the fencing and roof needs checking. Rats are able to tunnel anywhere.
Chicken crew
The chickens produce eggs which are sold to the plot holders. A team of volunteers from the plot holders ensure that they are fed and watered daily. The early shift let them out and collect any eggs laid. The late shift make sure the chucks are back in the coop at night. There is also bedding to be checked and changed. It has given some a sense of purpose during these unusual days. It is one of many ways in which having an allotment has kept people’s spirits up as the world has gone topsy-turvy.
Feed us!
A lot of weeding goes on around the allotment. The chickens like a bit of greens and in particular are partial to dandelions. It is easy to drop greens over the run fence. Some of the chickens are smarter than others and start to run towards the fence when people approach. Others are left staring through the inner fence of the coop and then do a mad dash when they realise they are missing out.
The chickens have a lot of character. Some are shy, some are nippy, some peck. They are very noisy when they get alarmed by anything. Their egg laying has helped non-vegan plot holders during the lock-downs. Eggs are collected and sold on a fair share basis with the maximum number per plot dependent on the day’s lay. Here’s a little light relief from The Muppets and their brood of chickens with their version of “Ain’t Nobody Here But Us Chickens”