Manchester care welcomes chicks into the gardenHC One’s Barton Brook care home brought chicken eggs into the home and now enjoying the new members of the family who wander around the garden!

During the COVID-19 lockdown all of the Colleagues at the Manchester home have been thinking of new ways to keep Residents entertained and engaged. 

The unit manager, Tracy Robinson, had some bantam chicken eggs in an incubator at home and after speaking with the Residents and they said they would love to have chickens.

After getting their approval Tracey hatched the eggs and they stayed in the brooder at her home. When they were 6 weeks old a chicken coup was purchased and a run for Moss House garden. The chicks came to live in the care home garden when they were 8 weeks old. 

They loved their coup and the Residents love the chickens. The chicks have visited all the other units and the Residents all love them. 

The Residents in Moss House have helped to feed the chickens and in dry weather they sit in the garden and watch them. The chickens are let out for a couple of hours, whilst staff stay with the Residents to keep them safe from tripping. 

The chickens walk into the lounge with staff sometimes and the Residents love to see them and pet them. The Residents say they are looking forward to collecting the eggs when the chickens are older. 

Since the chickens moved into Barton Brook, the Residents look out the window when they get up each day and are really happy to see the birds. 

The Residents are engaged and their mood has been much brighter and happier now they have the chickens, they have become a part of the family.