New Feathered Friends: Our First Chickens at Sage Hearth

There’s something quietly magical about the sound of chickens on a slow morning — the gentle clucks, the soft scratching in the dirt, the way they move through the sunlit patches of the yard. This weekend, Sage Hearth gained a small, feathered heartbeat of its own.

We picked up five Sapphire Gem pullets — four black with a glimmering green sheen and one a soft lavender-grey — and brought them home to a little coop that’s seen better days but has a lot of potential. It’s nothing fancy, just a small, second-hand coop with character, waiting for a little TLC. But, as with so much here, that’s part of the charm. Slowly, steadily, we build, we fix, and we create a home that feels alive.

Second-hand coop for our chickens

A small, second-hand coop full of potential — our new hens’ first home at Sage Hearth.

These girls are already settling in beautifully. There’s a rhythm to having chickens, a gentle structure to the day. Morning greetings, curious pecks, and the simple promise of future eggs — it’s a small addition, but it makes the homestead feel whole.

Our Sapphire Gem pullets

Our five new Sapphire Gem pullets — curious, playful, and already part of the homestead rhythm.

From a slightly scruffy coop and pullets full of potential to the steady, quiet work of caring for them, it feels like another small step in the slow, rewarding life we’re building here. Life at Sage Hearth isn’t always dramatic, but it’s full of these little joys, and these new hens have brought a whole new layer of warmth and movement to our days.

Location: Taupō, New Zealand

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