Bringing chickens to the historic walled garden

Background to the project

Our chickens will help engage even visitors and enhance our educational and gardening programmes for children and school groups. As the hens are still quite young (only six months!), they’ll provide fresh organic eggs once they are a bit older and settled into their new environment. We’re hoping to sell the organic eggs at the garden barrow alongside a variety of other produce. In addition to fresh eggs, their droppings as a natural fertiliser for our garden, supporting our eco-friendly approach.

Our hens are a British heritage breed, called Pekin Bantams, from a local breeder in New Malden who happens to be one of the best breeders in the South of England! They were originally bought to Europe from China in the nineteen hundreds from Peking (hence the name). Peking hens are a type of bantam chicken that stay relatively small and are famous for their feathered feet; they can live for five to seven years, but some have been known to live to the ripe old age of fifteen.

Funding

Thanks to the generosity of our Patrons, members, and supporters, we successfully raised £1,569, allowing us to bring our own flock of hens to Fulham Palace as well as a spacious chicken coop with a three-meter run for the birds to roam happily and safely in the walled garden and securely protected from foxes.

The chickens have been named by individuals who donated over £100.

• The grey hen has been named Myrtle
• The black hen has been named Phyllis
• The brown hen has been named Matilda
• The white hen has been named Coco