Comment construire un poulailler!

Oui oui oui, c'est moi encore!  Didn't post yesterday, it was a bit if a dull old day really - don't think the rain stopped in fact.  We decided to try and make good use of the time and ventured down the road to look for somewhere that sold wood because the very talented Mr Henderson is going to be building me a super duper chicken coop!  For those that didn't know, I used to keep a few chooks back in England, and sadly had to leave them behind when we moved here, together with my handsome cockerel Rupert.  Despite the chooks being in the safe hands of my lovely friend Mel, it was still a really hard thing to do, and I do miss them so.  I never thought I would miss mucking them out and swearing at the amount of red mite, but I do!  I miss their little faces, there peculiar ways, and the fact that they always seem to make you smile, however bad the day is.  So here I am, about to embark on getting some more!  Not sure what sort I am going to get - not sure if you can get ex-battery hens here (used to have them in England) so have been looking at different breeds.  Came across these lovely things at an organic farm not far from here.....not sure if she breeds them, but I have to say I am quite taken by them.  They are called Goullois Doré:

Gorgeous aren't they?  Probably won't end up getting them, but I still like to look at what is out there.  And yes, despite my last cockerel, Rupert, being rather on the 'violent' and 'temperamental' side (his Dad was called Asbo for a reason!) I have decided to get another one because they really do look after the hens, which is especially important given the amount of buzzards around here.  I also just love them.  Simples!

Anyway, we went to a couple of places looking for suitable materials.  One place we went was interesting to say the least, and you got the feeling that you really were 'not welcome'.  And then I had that lightbulb moment when I realised it was because it was 11.50am...in other words France was about to shut down for two hours for their lunch break, and the gentleman that was helping us was obviously worried that his baguette might go stale.  So we made a sharp exit and said we would go back that afternoon when he had more time...wished him a 'Bon appétit' though, so don't worry!

The 2hr lunchbreak custom is a strange thing and is taking a bit of getting used to if I am completely honest.  France really is not a 24 hour society like the UK is, and at first it kind of got on my nerves - because you really do need to organise your day differently if you want to get anything done.  There is no point going out at 11.30am to do some shopping, because you will be chucked out of most shops at midday sharp.  And you really don't want to be standing in a shop when the announcement comes over the tanoid that they are waiting for YOU!  Ok, that is exaggerating a bit, but they really do value their lunch breaks here.  And now I have gotten used to it a bit, I do think it is actually quite a nice custom. It forces you to take time out, to eat a good lunch and actually remember doing so - unlike when I was in England working, and often used to have a sandwich at my desk, forget that I had just had it, and so end up having something else too! Having lunch has also become quite a sociable affair - ok, there are just two of us, but still we sit at the table and chat, and are quite often joined by the cats who like to see what scraps are going.  It's all very la de da!  Who ever would have thought I would become civilised hey?

Anyway, I have gotten off topic I think!  We did eventually find somewhere that sold suitable pieces of wood (although we had to go back after the lunch break to get it!).  Mark is going to follow a plan that I found on the internet - I think it is quite a nice coop - here is the link anyway, in case there are any budding chicken keepers out there, and a piccie:

http://monbopoulailler.free.fr/

To buy one of this size would probably cost me €600 or more, so I think we will save a fair bit by making it ourselves (although Mark hasn't told me how much he is charging yet!).  Not sure when it will be finished so watch this space!

Anyway, that brings us to today which has been the most beautiful day weather-wise.  This morning (after customary visit to town to get baguette, and after having my car stopped in the middle of the road by the postman who wanted to hand me my post personally, rather than put it in our letterbox!), Mark and I put in a few raspberry canes (Zeva and Autumn Gold are the varieties).  I then put in a few more wildlflowers, and generally just pottered around trying to tidy the place up a bit before spring relly gets here.  Anyway, not much else to tell you, so I will leave you with a few piccies of today.  Next week promises to be a little bit more exciting as we have the surveyor coming to look at the old farmhouse, and we are also hoping to go and visit an English couple in the Dordogne who started their own Yurt campiste a few years ago.  In case you're interested, here is their website.  They really have done some amazing things, and we are hoping to get some pointers from them.  :o)

Ecovallee