Chickens an ‘egg-cellent’ addition to Pulborough school’s market garden

Five chickens have taken up residence at an independent prep school in Pulborough as part of its project to create a sustainable market garden.
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Pupils at Windlesham House have been delighted to welcome their new feathered friends who are living in the school’s leafy countryside grounds in a coop made entirely from reclaimed materials.

The school will be selling the chickens’ eggs and putting the profits back into the feeding the chickens and improving the market garden facilities to benefit the whole school community.

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Alex Evans, the headmaster’s wife who designed and built the coop, said: “Our chickens live in a field next to our market garden, where the children are currently growing fruit and vegetables.

Pupils at Windlesham House School in Pulborough with the new chickens. Credit: Windlesham House School SUS-210614-151455001Pupils at Windlesham House School in Pulborough with the new chickens. Credit: Windlesham House School SUS-210614-151455001
Pupils at Windlesham House School in Pulborough with the new chickens. Credit: Windlesham House School SUS-210614-151455001

“It was important for us to build the coop from reclaimed materials as we are keen to create a sustainable, eco environment for our market garden.

“The children and staff love visiting the chickens and feeding them out of their hands, and they really enjoy collecting the eggs too.

“It has also been really therapeutic, just having them here and hearing them outside every day.

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“The chickens are extremely friendly and often run up to the children when they visit.

Five new chickens at Windlesham House School are living in a coop made from reclaimed materials. Credit: Windlesham House School SUS-210614-151505001Five new chickens at Windlesham House School are living in a coop made from reclaimed materials. Credit: Windlesham House School SUS-210614-151505001
Five new chickens at Windlesham House School are living in a coop made from reclaimed materials. Credit: Windlesham House School SUS-210614-151505001

“It’s also very beneficial for our pupils from the perspective of developing nurturing skills around caring for an animal and understanding their physical needs.”

The clucky companions – named and voted for by the pupils at Windlesham – include Violet, a lavender Araucana and Dolly, a white and lavender Araucana cross, who both lay blue eggs; Delores, a modern hybrid Speckeldy who lays brown eggs; Palm, a Buff Sussex who lays white eggs; and Monty, a Light Sussex, who lays pink eggs.

The school is continuing to develop its eco market garden and is working on several new additions to the site over the coming year.