Garden Club

There is excitement in the coop!!

Four hens sense changes are afoot. More two-legged providers are spending time around their home. And their existing home is about to get a major expansion! Volunteers plan to strengthen the existing fence around the orchard and build a tunnel from the coop to the orchard so the little winged ladies can really stretch their wings!

Soon you may see the chickens exploring the orchard on their own. Did you know that chickens naturally go back to their coop before nightfall? It’s a natural protection mechanism that stems from their origin story in the jungle trees of Asia. They have fewer predators in the trees, so when it starts to get dark they retreat into their coop. This is one reason chickens are so easy to manage. If you’ve ever tried to catch a chicken in the open you know it’s a challenge. However, unlike many grade-schoolers, chickens put themselves to bed!

In Lucas Valley there are several night predators. Can you guess what those may be? There are raccoons, foxes, bobcats and coyotes in these hills. So we don’t want to leave the orchard door open at night! That’s why a photosensor (“light”) activated chicken door is being installed. As day breaks and light trickles in the door to the orchard will automatically open. As night falls and the sun slips over the Pacific, back to whence the hens' ancestors came from, the coop door will automatically close providing the necessary protection from local predators.

Thanks to everyone who donates time, money and physical work to caring for the hens. They are happy ladies… and they are about to really enjoy a bigger backyard!

Alex Stadtner, Rustie Kaster, & Erik Burke