The 'Fantastic Four'

I thought I would be waiting a very long time for a photograph with four chickens in one shot!  Three are tricky enough.  Look!  My four girls!

Look!

My two hours of 'Chicken Whispering' yesterday paid of.  My superior 'chicken' bonding skills (and a Water Blaster) have worked miracles.  The 'Beverley  Sisters' came out to play at 7am, while Lavender endured isolation in the coop until 2pm.  I had run some errands and been shopping.  I got some delicious looking corn on the cobs.  I let Lavender out for her first of two planned 'Play Dates' today and chucked four corn on the cobs around the garden.  Lavender so wants to be part of this gang today.  She brazenly shared corn and the others dared not object.  They are very good girls and have not shown any aggression what so ever just fear, caution and disdain.  Today they have tolerated her.  She has not been so nasty and I have not seen or heard any fights.  The 'Play Date' was extended, she even flopped by them sprawled out in the sunshine, sleeping.  I was full of pride!  Everyone knows 'Pride comes before a fall'!
                My son and his friend came back at about 7.30pm, they were hungry, all was well in the garden and I thought Lavender would follow the others at bedtime (dusk) so I cooked a new recipe, 'Oriental Prawns and Noodles' (very Weight Watchers).

It is low fat and full of vegetables, I have never used Pak Choi or Oyster mushrooms before.  To my delight 'The Teenagers' loved it!  I realised it had got dark quickly and went to check the chickens.  All were present except for Lavender!  "Lads!"  I yelled " I need some help to find the chicken"!  They came a running!  Have you ever tried looking for a dark grey chicken in the dark!  Nope nor have I!  I was relieved when I could hear her pitiful 'Baby Peeping'.  I could not find her at all.  The Garden is overgrown and has dense undergrowth that the chickens love to hide in when there is a heavy rain storm.  It is mostly brambles.  I have spent much of today seriously pruning the large shrubs and stripping the branches to use as fence extenders and to reinforce places where I think Lavender could escape as she jumped higher than my head yesterday.  I did not clip her wing feathers today because she was fine and behaving just like the other three.  We had a wind up torch and sticks, we were looking everywhere.  We were getting scratched by brambles and to be honest I was getting panic stricken.  She had even stopped 'peeping' so we couldn't hear her or see her.  I was pulling up shrubs frantically. . . I will check the aftermath in the morning.  We were a good half an hour with the boys climbing the fences and looking over.  I was getting quite distressed and anxious thinking she would be all alone at night who knows where, she would end up as Mr Fox's supper. . .when my son's friend shouted 'Luce, I have found the chicken'!  I ran over 'where is she'?  He was laughing.  'Here it is right in front of me, up in the tree!'  I have not been so relieved in a long time.  I could see her little silhouette, huddled, roosting in the Wild Cherry tree.  I had been looking at ground level, I did not think to look six foot in the air!  I grabbed her and she 'peeeeeped'.  I carried her up to the coop and popped her in to bed with her 'sisters'.  Tomorrow I will not get distracted at dusk and will make sure Lavender is first to bed!  I am sore with bramble scratches.   Oh by the way, my partner found out about her today. . .when Euan told him.  Let's just say he wasn't thrilled about the idea.  Little does he know we have a right one here!  She is a perfect addition to my wonky world!
xxx