The Ladies’ Lounge

Description:

The Ladies’ Lounge (our chicken coop) is located in the back of a larger yard and garden, that includes raised beds for organic vegetables/herbs, fruit trees, native plants, berry vines, a lower-water-use lawn, and bees. I, Pamela (co-owner and master gardener) have been gardening in this yard for a little over 10 years, though the yard underwent a massive overhaul 6 years ago, after my husband and I added a second story to our home. The Ladies’ Lounge is the home of 6 lovely hens – 2 Rhode Island Reds, 1 Barred Rock, 2 Black Sex-Links and 1 Americana, or “Easter Egger”. This is our second set of chickens – the first retired to a friend’s home after they slowed down in their egg production. Our current flock is about a year and a half old, and the 6 of them produce between 2 and 5 eggs a day. We raised them from chicks (in a rabbit cage), and currently feed them laying pellets, oyster shell, their own egg shells (crushed) and lots of kitchen scraps. Our bee hives are managed by a beekeeper, who gives us some honey in exchange for the hive space in our side yard. We grow most of our own seedlings for our vegetable garden in a small greenhouse near the back of the property, and have a few water features (birdbaths and a small fountain) to attract birds and butterflies to the garden. Our lawn is about the right size for a badminton court, and is made of a “dwarf tall fescue” mix, which needs less water to stay green than some other grass mixes.

Unique:

Our backyard has some fairly unique features, with over 60 varieties of herbs, fruit trees (with grafts), berry vines and blueberry bushes. Our coop is tall enough to stand in, and has a “poop board” beneath where the Ladies perch, so that their droppings can be added to the compost bins nearby. A gravity-fed waterer saves a huge amount of time in caring for the Ladies, as it rarely needs to be cleaned, and only occasionally filled.

Offering:

Come on by for Organic Meyer Lemonade and Chocolate Mint Tea – stay for a bit on the backyard benches or the wicker chairs on our covered deck, or relax on a blanket on the lawn. We will also have a couple of “The Ladies” out on the grass to keep you company in their portable, foldable, PVC “chicken tractor”.