Magical Experience: Cuddle Chickens!

We’ve got some very special guests: four incredibly friendly hens are spending twelve days in our garden! Hopefully, they’ll lay a few eggs and delight us during feeding time. Curious what it’s like? Here’s what we’ve experienced:

Day 1 – Setting up the coop

A small mobile chicken coop is essential for the nights — it’s safe, and there’s a cozy nest inside for the hens to lay their eggs. Of course, the chickens also need food and water. With about 20 meters of fencing, we create a spacious area around our big fir tree where the hens can scratch around freely, enjoy the shade, and relax under a little roof for rain protection.

What surprised me: the chickens came with their own sand bath! I wasn’t sure at first if they’d really use it, but time would tell...

Once everything was set up, our four feathery ladies moved in: Berta, Penny, Goldini, and Pummeluff! Each one has her own personality, and we were excited to get to know them. Their feathers shine beautifully in the sunlight, and they immediately began exploring their new home.

In the evening, it was fascinating to see them all head into the coop on their own before the door closed automatically with the help of a light sensor. Goodnight, little ones!

Day 2 – Feeding and the first cuddles

Twice a day, the hens are served a scoop of two different grain mixes. Our daughter Charlotte (7) insists on feeding them herself, proudly taking charge. We also noticed right away: Berta is the boss. When she picks from the feeding bowl, the others have to wait their turn — the classic pecking order.

Later, I sat down on a garden chair near their enclosure, enjoying the sun. Before long, Penny approached me, circled my legs, slipped under the chair, and finally stood beside me, stretching her neck and looking up at me with determination. Then — fluff! — she jumped onto my lap!

Her strong-looking claws were surprisingly gentle as she stood there, calmly letting me stroke her soft feathers. She especially enjoyed being scratched around her neck. I couldn’t help but smile deeply — what a peaceful, heartwarming moment!

When Charlotte returned from school with a friend, the two of them sat cross-legged on the ground. I carefully placed Penny on their laps, and for a while, all three seemed perfectly content. 

 

Day 3 – The egg watch

Goldini kept climbing the little ladder into the coop, only to come back out empty-beaked. Charlotte checked the nest each time, only to find: no egg yet. This little game repeated itself five times that day until finally, Berta disappeared into the nest for a while... and voilà: the first egg! A small triumph that was celebrated with great joy in the garden.

Day 4 – Feeding by hand

Besides their usual grains, the chickens now get kitchen scraps — fruit and veggie leftovers — plus any worms or bugs they find while foraging. We’re getting braver too: all of us now feed them directly from our hands. Charlotte especially loves feeding Penny, while Berta (the big boss) used to seem a bit rough but is actually quite gentle and precise when picking her favorite seeds.

Pummeluff, affectionately called “Pummi,” sometimes nibbles a little too eagerly, but it only tickles. If the hens get too competitive, we usually just scatter the remaining food on the grass. 

Day 5 – Mosquito hunting

What a funny sight: Berta jumping into the air, catching mosquitoes mid-flight — and succeeding again and again! Chickens really are smarter and more skilled than I thought. 

Day 6 – Little fans

Word about our chickens spread fast in the neighborhood. The almost three-year-old boy next door begged his mom until she lifted him over the fence. Once he stood inside the enclosure, he was completely fascinated. Even his initial plan of "teasing the chickens" was quickly forgotten once he fed them.

Day 7 – Sand bath frenzy

Remember the sand bath I was skeptical about? Well, the hens love it! Today, Berta lay almost sideways in the sand dish, spreading her wings and rolling around enthusiastically, creating a mini sandstorm across the garden.

And thankfully, the sand bath stays almost entirely poop-free. Any droppings make fantastic compost material!

 

Day 8 – Corn delight

While preparing the garden for the new planting season, I was breaking dried kernels off an old cob. Charlotte immediately had a clever idea: "Mom, can I give the corn to the chickens?"

Freshly dried kernels were too hard for them, but after soaking the corn overnight and crushing it with a stone, it turned into a real feast for Berta, Penny, Goldini, and Pummi.

By now, the chickens had figured out exactly who’s most generous with treats: whenever Charlotte appears, they come running, while I (the more stingy food-giver) often get completely ignored!

 

Day 9 – Chicken photoshoot

With perfect spring weather, we held a little photoshoot for our feathered guests. They looked stunning in the sunshine!

Day 10 – Delicious eggs

By now, the hens have laid over 15 eggs! Each one was found with great excitement and carefully guarded by the kids. Only now did we finally eat some: delicious scrambled eggs made from the freshest eggs we’ve ever tasted! 

Day 11 – A visitor in the hen pen

One quiet, gray day we noticed some unusual excitement outside: the hens were running in circles, clearly alarmed. Then we spotted the “intruder” — a fluffy, bouncy little squirrel! It had wandered curiously into the chicken area.

Day 12 – Farewell

Time flew by, and it was already time to say goodbye. The hens were picked up along with their mobile coop and all their gear. Back home, they rejoined their 20 chicken friends, and the equipment moved on to the next family ready for their own chicken adventure.

Conclusion:

You should try it, too!
This experience brought us so much joy — not just the unbeatable fresh eggs, but also the moments of observation, cuddles, feeding, and caring for these wonderful creatures. Thank you, thank you, thank you for this opportunity!  

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