Chickens of Awen Bach
Posted on September 09, 2026 by Steph
Maintaining wellness in the company of chickens.
I first got a couple of chickens in 1997, when I lived in a small terraced house with a friend who didn't really like the feathery bundles of joy. She was very patient and i'm still very grateful for her compassion and tolerance of my crazed idea. I later moved to the old market garden house of Maindee, much more appropriate for the chooks. Having the pleasure to spend time watcing and hanging out with these socialble and much intelligent and emotionally driven creatures, much more than many chicken consumers are lead to believe.
This experinece was the necessary knowledge i needed in my life to deal with the the arrival of covid. Years later when I needed to care for something that was not human, became overwhelming beacuse covid's life restrictions, instead of a dog, we got 3 hens. My husband calculated that they would deliver 50,000 bundles of fertiliser to our garden, well thats what I heard, his language might have been factually different.
A few years ago I was invited to create some artworks for Maindee, so created a few street artworks comemorating the importance of this moment, these joyous interactions in my life, and their links to my maintained sence of wellness.
Finding a safe place in life, no matter what that looks like. #streetfairy
Years later we we able to take the one remaining chook, Pea, from the city to the countryside for day trips on Awen Bach. We all felt a sence of freedom.
Being on her own she was definately our mate. Following us everywhere, loving a cwtsh or Welsh style cuddle. But soon watching the sunset go down was her last.
We tried to welcome her to Tuk Tuk, but she didnt really like her.
Gonzo. My husband hates the chichens. Well that's what he tells me.
The twins, Widgety and Cindy the 2nd, all named by my wonderful nieces.
Soon we were invited to look at some cockerels on a neighbouring farm, that had been hatched in a local primary school. I was concerned for their safety during the day, so thought a big brawny fella might deture preditors or at least warn us to them. This little fella was a chatty little thing, happy to sit with the hens wittering away, he was ours. Welcome Porkchop. An interesting name for a chicken you might think. Named to be a reminder to him to be a nice cockerel or he might become rabbit pie. My husband calls him Mrs Jones becase he looked like a secretary bird for a while. He is a funny thing, "I say, I say" he kinda reminds me of the big cockerel in the Disney cartoons, Foghorn Leghorn, but he was a bully, our boy is a very lustful teenager but looks after his girls.
PondLife-at-AwenBach YouTube account with some videos of the moments I/we spend in their company
.
Tap tap tapping chickens -you tube video of chickens eating for my amusement
Heart warming moments - chicken heading home
'Porkchop' the cockerel gets a welcome cwtsh