Welcome to
The Clucking Cottage
The Clucking Cottage is home to our much loved chickens and is an important part of daily life on the homestead.
Caring for the chickens involves far more than collecting fresh eggs. It includes providing a safe and secure environment, preparing nutritious food, keeping their coop and run clean, monitoring their health, and allowing them to express their natural behaviours.
Our chickens enjoy a varied diet alongside their balanced feed, including fresh vegetables, homegrown produce, herbs, cooked grains, and other wholesome treats prepared with care.
Their colourful personalities, curious behaviour, and daily routines bring so much joy and character to the homestead. Each hen has her own nature, habits, and place within the flock.
The Clucking Coop also gives us the opportunity to share practical information about chicken care, coop management, feeding, egg laying, seasonal challenges, and the realities of keeping chickens on a small homestead.
Freshly collected eggs are one of the many simple rewards of this way of life, but the companionship and daily connection with the flock are equally special.
I had wanted chickens in my garden from the day my husband and I moved into this property in 2015. It was not something I rushed into. I took my time, saved the necessary funds and planned carefully so that I could create the backyard coop I had always imagined.
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Before bringing home my first chickens, I did a great deal of research. I read as much as I could, asked endless questions and learned about suitable breeds, housing, feeding, health, safety and the everyday commitment involved in caring for a flock.
All my chickens have come from Crawford Poultry in Cullinan. Abigail regularly hosts the Silkie and Friends Boot Sale at the Cullinan Junction Heritage Shopping Centre, where chicken enthusiasts can meet, learn and find beautiful birds.
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Her chickens are healthy and well cared for, and she has won several first prizes at chicken shows across South Africa. She has also always been willing to offer sound, practical advice whenever I have needed guidance.
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Today, I have a colourful flock of 17 chickens from, which includes a mixture of bantams, Silkies and Easter Eggers. We keep them for their beautiful eggs, but also because they bring me so much joy. They are full of personality, endlessly entertaining and have become a very special part of my everyday life.
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They are also excellent natural pest controllers in the garden. They scratch, forage and help keep insects under control while happily exploring their surroundings.
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What began as a long-held dream has become a rewarding and joyful part of our homestead life.