Linda Hall: What summer? And bit of chicken chat

The rain has dampened many holiday plans. Photo / Ian Cooper

Well, well. well, three holes in the ground — and guess what- they are all full of rainwater

I’m sure there are many people out there who are feeling just like me — ripped off — where’s summer?

I was lucky enough to get a few decent days of sunshine during my not-quite-three weeks off, but crikey I really do need some more Vitamin D.

Really feeling for mums, dads and caregivers trying to occupy their children.

There are only so many board and card games you can play before it all turns to custard, with the Monopoly board upended and accusations of cheating flying around the room.

Free activities such as parks, rivers and beaches are out.

Linda Hall is assistant editor at Hawke's Bay Today. Photo / Warren Buckland.

Baking perhaps? Nope, that’s out because eggs are scarce and expensive.

Books and screen time are about the only options although I’m sure there are plenty of creative people out there thinking of indoor activities for their children.

One of my school friends had her grandchildren busy making things in the shed. Great idea.

Speaking of screen time and eggs, social media has exploded with chicken chat.

Everyone wants chickens.

Everyone used to have chickens years ago when their parents lived on quarter-acre sections. I remember the chicken coop at the back of the garden. I think it was an old shed.

We also had a huge garden, a compost pile built with corrugated iron and a very large walnut tree. We spent a lot of time in that backyard, picking up walnuts, raking leaves and climbing the tree.

I don’t think any of my grandchildren have even used a rake.

I digress — back to the chickens.

So many people have decided to buy or make a chicken coop and fill it with hens.

Good on them. Chickens are cool. They all have their own personalities and it’s easy to tell who is the boss. I love listening to them cluck and carry on with each other.

We have a beautiful rooster called Admiral who is most polite. He stands back and lets his ladies eat, he’s not aggressive at all, however, he’s always the first up crowing loudly. We have got used to it now and because we are rural he’s allowed to crow. Different story if you live in town.

Recently one of our chickens was found in the hay shed with 12 eggs under her. We decided to take four away and just leave her be.

Twenty-one days later I heard chirping and there was a little face looking at me. I didn’t dare get too close for fear of losing my hand or an eye. She’s so protective.

Long story short she is the mother of six cute babies.

We have a few hens that get clucky but we can’t cope with any more babies at the moment so they have been getting lifted off the eggs. I let Mr Neat do that job.

While chickens are relatively easy to look after, it’s not cheap to keep them and they do need at least twice daily attention and that doesn’t include cleaning coops and looking after sick chooks because they do get sick.

They need space, food, and shelter just like any other animal. Most of them don’t lay all year round but they still need to be fed.

If people start locking them in cages in their backyards their lives will be little better than battery hens.

And, off course, that is the reason there is an egg shortage in the first place because that practice has been banned in New Zealand.

So if you have space and time go for it but remember this, by my calculations at the moment our eggs are probably costing us twice as much as the price of supermarket eggs.

Some chickens are moulting, some are too young to lay and some are just having a wee rest — and that’s fine by me. They have been feeding us and our family members for months and months.

It’s a bit like having a break from cooking, I guess, just hanging out eating and chatting with your friends.

Linda Hall is assistant editor at Hawke’s Bay Today