Just like the same time last year at this place South of Eindhoven in Netherlands, I am taking care of 3 sweet ladies which generously provide me their fresher than fresh eggs on a daily basis. Ladies and gents, put your hands together please for Tina, Truitje and Roosje:
This picture is a little rough cause it's hard to find them all together. Usually it's the two younger brown ones together,
and the senior black Tina alone in her slower pace:
They all share the same house though. Let me introduce you to their mansion:
Now you see it in cleaning mode as I had to change their "sheets" (better say hemp and straw). From the side of the open "hood" you can see the egg laying area in front and the sleeping area in the background:
Call them "eggroom" and "bedroom" if you prefer 🙂 Now it's time for this Dutch cleaning solution:
And here's how the chicken penthouse looks post spraying:
Now it's time to believe in "patience is a virtue" and wait for the "Dasty" to dry. Takes long and even longer on a day with shitty weather like today. It's not just a wet day, it's the day that baptised water "wet".
When all is dry and done, I start making the bed for the chickens. Or the floor, you name it. First I apply a layer of fine hemp - this stuff:
Then I fill the eggroom with straw:
And the bedroom with a mixture of straw and tobacco - here's the latter, aptly named Tobakstro:
If you do it right the chicken villa should look like this:
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Time to close the house:
Please put your hand together for the owners who decided to waterproof the roof with those heavy and pricey thick tarmac sheets. These 3 ladies are very lucky. Me not so lucky as the weather has frozen the garden's production - not its beauty though:
Given the chance of a dry break in this wet day I also fill the bird feeders:
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Another 1st world unluckiness is that with this weather I doubt I'll get a chance to try the pool during my stay here:
A less 1st world problem and more of a necessity actually since I was waiting for this moment for the water to reset my body after 3 months on the road and around 6500km on my saddle. Instead, I now dress like an onion living under infinite thick layers of clouds.
Meanwhile, the ladies don't seem to bother that much on the other hand:
Hmmm... a pizza in this wood oven would be priceless:
At the moment I have to "compromise" with my humble tortellini though:
There's a bit of eggplant salad among them so consider them not too humble. Just like this guy here, whom I have named "The mischievous king of Heeze", who is demanding all day long for cuddles, food and/or both:
At a rare and short sunny break he decides to enjoy the lawn:
While I think these guys could be in much better shape:
So I decide to give them a wash and put them upright:
I guess they'll soon look like they used to after some chicken treatment:
These are my feathered and furry friends for the moment, more Dutch indoors and outdoors experiences coming soon.
See you!