Maybe I’m nuts, but the boys (3 and 1!) and I have decided it’s time to get some chickens. As long as the landlord agrees!

We’ve got plenty of space in the garden for them to cluck around and a stable that would keep them safe at night.

We’ve even got friends who have offered to look after them, if ever we get around to going on holiday. So all is looking rosy.

I’ve been thinking about having chickens for a good few years now. It’s the eggs we’re after – and the entertainment. It would mean we would know exactly what had gone into the food we are eating.

We always buy organic, free range eggs. But I recently discovered that not all organic birds have the idyllic life we would expect. Apparently many of them are raised in flocks of many thousands of birds, with the restrictions that would obviously create. So we’re ready to take responsibilty for raising our own chickens and keeping them as happy as can be.

For me, it’s also about the boys starting to learn about where food comes from and taking responsibility for the welfare of another creature, from an early age.

So it got me wondering: do any of you have your own chickens? What exactly am I letting myself in for and are there any top tips you could share on keeping our chickens “green”?

I’ve already read so much about “vaccinated birds” and “vitamin enhanced GM feeds” that I’m keen to make sure I’m keeping my chickens (and eggs) as natural as possible.

I’ve already worked out that it’s going to cost us more to produce our own eggs than to buy them, but for me it’s also about getting as close to nature as possible. And I know it’s not all about the romantic visions we might have of cute, clucky, feathered friends eating corn out of our hands – there’s a real-world practicality involved.

So I’d love to hear your stories about the highs and lows of raising your own chickens. Which breed(s) should we go for if we want eggs? What are the idiot mistakes that beginners make? Have you got eco-chickens at home?

I’ll keep you all updated about which breed(s) we choose and how it goes and I look forward to introducing you to our micro-flock some time soon!

Here’s to the freshest eggs in town,
Clare x