Too Eggciting!

I was not really expecting an egg any time soon although Euan and I have noticed the 'girls' have suddenly grown up in the last week.  Instead of being nervous they have been coming out of the coop with a 'swag on', hens with attitude. Their combs have really grown and are bright red.  I also heard their first proper 'cluck' this week and it was rather noisy and assertive.  I went up the garden last night with a torch to say goodnight and fox proof the coop for the night.  These girls have high security living conditions!  I shone the torch into the nest box to complete the head count...yep both chickens present and correct and an egg!  It is very exciting to find the first egg, well I think so anyway.  It was a very small egg but none the less an egg.  'The Egg' is the one on the left next to a commercial egg,  Euan couldn't quite believe me this morning when I woke him up and showed it to him.  He shot out of bed, donned his dressing gown and wellies (rather a good look) and ran up the garden.  He was delighted to find two more eggs.  Chickens are the perfect pets with benefits.
XXX   

Bluebell and Blossom are slowly settling in. . .

Here is Blossom and Bluebell ready for day three in their new home.  Bluebell has the blue leg ring.  I can actually tell these ladies apart because they have got different markings.  They are 'Rhode Rocks' a Hybrid.  My other three 'ginger' chickens were like clones.  With the first chickens I was amazed to discover each chicken had her own personality and we really bonded as we had them since they were eggs.  They were very used to being handled as they lived in our living room for 6-8 weeks!  They were in a brood box under a heat lamp, they did not free range around the house.  I am not quite that dotty.  There was  one day when the dog opened their gate and invited them into the house last Summer.  I never fall asleep on the sofa but I did that day.  I woke up to find two chickens watching the television (they always loved the tv) and there was another happily exploring the kitchen.  The dog looked mightily pleased with herself.  I am sure they saw me as 'The Mother Hen' and I felt the weight of responsibility.  They always greeted me with abundant enthusiasm.
         I do not look at a live chicken and think 'dinner'. . .well not very often any way.  When the others sat under the sage bush, I could not help thinking about the delicious combination.  . .baaaadddd chicken mama!  I can't believe I love chickens but still eat chicken.  Euan has a policy 'we do not eat animals that we know'.   That is quite noble and good news for the dog and the budgie.  I think in an ideal world we would only eat animals we know, then we could be sure that the animals we ate had lives free from 'pain or distress'.  I am not cut out for farming at all however much I like to think I am and the whole 'to eat meat or not to eat meat debate' is a massive and often controversial topic.  Having 'pet' chickens has made me realise they are not a food product, they are happy, intelligent, sentient beings that are able to experience pain and pleasure.  My girls used to like a trip to the 'Beauty Salon' and enjoyed a 'wash and blow dry' pamper experience and would happily cluck away under the hair dryer.
         Blossom and Bluebell are very different to our previous chickens.  They don't know me at all yet and it is a bit sad that they think I am very frightening.  I had not seen them venture out at all.  Euan had a steady stream of children going up and down the garden last night to show off his new 'sisters'.  I think all of the kids on our street have had a formal introduction now.  He assured me he had seen them both out and eating and drinking.  I went up to the coop this morning to take a photograph of them huddled in the next box.  I was surprised to see them out, they were surprised to see me too but they did not run away.  I am talking to them in my 'nicest, as reassuring as I can get' voice and I am telling them nice things.  I don't think it would be a good idea for me to transcribe a 'chicken chat' for you because you never know who is reading your blog and I do not want the men in white coats to arrive to take me away.  I haven't heard a cluck yet but they are making cute little 'coo's and peeps'.  This morning they looked a little bit interested in what I had to say rather than just plain terrified and they chatted back a tiny bit, so I think we are making progress.  I know I need to handle them regularly so they are not afraid but I really don't want to traumatise the poor things.  I can't trust them to free range yet because catching a terrified chicken is no easy task.

 I am amazed my little apple tree is not so little this year and it is smothered in blossom.  Soon the garden will have oodles of fruit that the chickens can  happily  gorge themselves on.  A chicken doing standing jumps for the fattest raspberry is quite a sight.  We will be competing to harvest the blackcurrants too. It is all happening in the garden again.  I have seedlings and vegetable plants and lots of chicken wire.  It is a long weekend as Monday is a Bank Holiday. . . I do love a Bank Holiday.  
Hope you are having a good weekend.  XXX   

RIP My Little Flock...

This post is too sad.  This morning I woke up to an empty coop and a lot of feathers.  Not a single 'girl' is left.  We are very sad and have cried a lot.  I feel like I have completed a chicken keepers rite of passage.  I have suffered a loss to a predator.  We are in shock.  Not good.   I had to confess to Euan I did not lock up the coop last night.  I thought they would be fine, they have been fine before.  I did not think foxes could get in our garden since the fences were repaired, but there is a gap and one of the neighbours fences is down that I did not know about.  My poor girls and poor Euan.  The garden seems awful without our bundles of fun.  Euan has not been backward in coming forward and telling me exactly what he thinks of me and my chicken keeping skills.  He was very angry and upset with me, but he has cooled off now.  This Winter the weather and the chickens have trashed the garden, I mean mud bath.  A house move is not out of the question and I had been vaguely thinking there would/could come a time when rehousing the chickens would be necessary.  I have never 'given up' a pet, I am always a 'hang on to them at all cost' kind of person.  I love 'rescue' pets not abandoning pets.  I have been spared any more worry about chickens.  Of course we want more, Euan has already picked names for three white ones...but I know it is no longer practical for us at the moment.  Another 'Era' is over.  What a happy little episode it was too.  Those girls were really loved and made us very happy.
XXX

Chickens In The Snow!

Here is 'The Lovely Lavender' wading her way through the snow.  The Chickens do not think much of this weather, now neither do I.  I have to keep making sure their water has not frozen over and 'cooping' them up to stop them from freezing.  Their little feet go all pink and they sit in the snow all puffed up together.  Silly Billies!  I find them something nice to eat and preferably warm to lure them to their coop and shut them in.  They have a little grumble as I stop them from escaping and shut the door.

Chickens do not like the snow, but mine have not read that page.  They are quite happy to come out and sit in it.  Freedom obviously means more to them than getting cold.  They are fiercely protecting their food and scraps from the garden birds, chasing off magpies, pigeons and blackbirds.  This morning they ate left over 'Sticky Toffee Pudding' complete with Caramel Sauce.  My sons are very strange and are both not big on sweets.  I am but I thought it would be better to feed it to the chooks.  I have a figure to maintain don't ya know.

These photographs were taken a couple of days ago.  Last night it snowed again all night and for most of the morning.  My car is stuck on the drive as the roads are not clear, the footpaths are worse.  It is making the school run a nuisance.  Euan's school has a flexible start and finish time in place for this week and Lacey is getting walked during the school runs, which she thinks is great although she does not much like being tied up to the fence and barks like a guard dog until I am back!  I wish I had a dog that would sit quietly.  She will do though she is a good girl.  Lacey is the only one for whom the novelty of the snow has not worn off.  She loves it and gets very silly outside jumping and playing.
       Hey guess what?  I had my first 'Tea Swap Parcel' arrive today.  It really cheered me up.  How exciting is that?   It will give me something to 'Blog' about tomorrow when I share it with you.  It had Tea and more... I have crochet lovliness to share.  Thank you all so much for your lovely, honest, funny, supportive comments regarding my last couple of posts.  I can't pretend anything is Hunky Dory.  However I will get there and adjust.  I still have not managed any crafting, I really must shift my butt into gear as crafting always makes me feel better.  I am just having trouble sitting in one place and concentrating for too long.  I am like a wanderer!  If I started to run I may end up like Forrest Gump and never stop!
Lova All Yall!  XXX

Gratuitous Chicken Post

I got up nice and early today, to attempt a bike ride with the dog.  I got dressed and ready and then went to get my bike out of the shed and only then noticed it was pouring with rain!  What a fool, I coulda, shoulda, woulda stayed in bed with my book!  Make note to self:  Checka da Wevver before getting dressed!
       It has been a while since I have mentioned these girls.  All is well in the coop.  I appear to have four healthy hens.  In spite of the weather they are still happy and bursting to come out to play rain or shine or frost or fog.  Their half of the garden in looking far from pretty.  It is wet and muddy with not much grass and plenty of puddles.  I am beginning to worry that it won't come back in the Spring.  These girls positively 'bowl' out of their coop in the mornings.  They were hungry girls this morning.

Poppy, Daisy and Rose were all tucking in and poor old Lavender could not squeeze in...to her dismay.  She had a right little panic.

That is better, I don't have to worry about Lavender, she somehow sorts things out and end up at the front or in the middle of everything.  This girl is certainly not backward in coming forward.  I am getting three lovely eggs a day again for the moment.  I do have to work for the 3rd though as someone has taken to laying in a very awkward spot of the garden right behind a large tree.  I nearly fall over each time I crawl for this egg.  There is a hidden little nest.  Somebody prefers peace and quiet.  I am trying to get the fourth egg by addressing the diet of these girls.  Less Kitchen scraps and top quality 'Organic' layers pellets.  Even their corn in take has been reduced.  They also have Oyster shell available at all times for Calcium.  Calcium is needed for egg production and to produce eggs the calcium is leeched from the Chicken's bones rather than obtained directly from their food.  It is important to make sure they have calcium.  I also save all the eggs shell and bake them to kill bugs then grind them and scatter them as a food supplement.  Chickens need shell and grit to break down food in their gizzard.  As we know Hens to not have teeth!
    I am very tempted to make a Christmas Treat for them, especially after I saw this:  Scratch and Nut Edible Wreath.

Isn't it beautiful.  I am sure it would not last long.  I could almost be tempted to have a little pick at it myself!
XXX

Spinning Shropshire Fleece and other stories...

Do you remember in September me showing you this photograph of our Weaving Spinning and Dyeing Guilds meeting.  This is Evelyn, an incredibly skilled and knowledgeable spinner demonstrating how to skirt a fleece in preparation for spinning.  Skirting is the term used for sorting the raw unwashed fleece into that which is worth washing and spinning and that which is better off being put on the compost heap.  This is a Shropshire fleece.

As a Guild we are preparing for the Six Guilds Exhibition in September 2013.  I have never been to a Six Guilds Exhibition before...I think they take place every three to five years.  Our task as a guild is to spin and create a collaborative project using only Shropshire fleece.  The fleece has now been washed.  At our Annual Exhibition it was carded and my Mom and I have a chunk of it, actually a shopping bag size full of it each to spin in its natural colour.  It is a nice fleece to work with.  It has a springy texture and I really do not know how to describe it as it is coarse but soft at the same time soft and airy.  It is not as soft as Merino but not as coarse as Hebridean.  I think I would wear it but not directly next to my skin.  This particular fleece is rather a labour of love though.

I have oiled my wheel and lightly oiled the fleece too but look!  Oh dear it has rather a lot of VM (Vegetable Matter) embedded into the fibres.  It is clean!  For my first couple of sessions spinning it I was spending more time picking bits out than spinning.  I find that quite a chore and an irritating task.  Spin a bit, pick pick pick, spin a bit more pick pick pick pick...you catch my drift!  Seriously if this fleece was mine I would have abandoned it.

The resulting singles looks like a little white dog with fleas!  Nice eh?  So I have had a bit of a dilemma.  I have decided to just try my best and get it spun without worrying too much about it.  The end project is not going to be a garment it is going to be an 'Art Piece'.  I just worry in a collaborative project that I will be letting someone down.  Really though I do not have the personality type to cope with hours and hours of pick pick picking!  It is rather like counting grains of sand.  I did find some commercially prepared Shropshire 'tops' to buy but decided that would be cheating!  I will plod on and keep that in mind as a back up plan if the resulting yarn is too disappointing.  I love it's fuzziness.  If I could have fuzzy without the bits it would be perfect.  
             I have also been 'Corking' some of my handspun.  I have corked myself into oblivion!  Let me tell you corking this particular handspun is not for the faint hearted.

This yarn I called 'Rainbow Scrappy Beard'.  It is two ply.  I spun one bobbin of commercial scrap fibres;

 and one bobbin of 'Old Man's Beard' a fleece from an old work mate who rears sheep for meat.  They are crossbreed 'mules' and he was previously burning the fleece.

 I spun this in 2011.  I like the yarn and now it has been washed it is nice and soft.  I love the colours as I am corking.  Small things please small minds and all that!  I only have one skein of this yarn but I really wish I had enough to make a cardigan.  

Today has been incredibly blustery and wet.  The garden is turning into a swamp but it does not stop the chickens from having fun.  Lavender is still broody and only getting off the nest if I pick her up.  She is a lovely girl and this broodiness is a nuisance now.  I feel sorry for her.  She had a brief run around in the wind and drizzle today before returning to her imaginary duties.

You can play spot the chicken here as there are actually four in this picture.  The wind was so strong they were actually getting caught off guard and blown along the garden with their feathers all puffed up.  They have found a sheltered spot here.  It was funny to watch because they looked like 'old ladies' getting pushed at a Bus Stop and the noise they made as they got blown along sounded like how I imagine an old ladies getting pushed at a bus stop would sound.  The chickens would still rather be out running around in the elements than cooped up though.
XXX

Broody and Moody - No Not Me!

Poor Lavender, all is not well in the coop.  Lavender is our most recent addition and after a troublesome start (and some vigilant Water Blasting) she settled in a treat.  She loves her 'sisters' probably a little bit more than they love her.    She is not backward in coming forward and is the first to bustle her way wherever she needs to go.  She is always the first to appear for treats and she eats the 'lion's share'.  In return she lays ridiculously small eggs.  Euan will request her eggs by preference.  I noticed last night Lavender made a peculiar noise.  She makes a different noise to the others anyway.  She has a beautiful little 'chirping' song.  Last night at bedtime she sounded more like a 'crow' or a 'magpie'.  It sounded like she had a sore throat.  I didn't think much of it.
                This morning I was a bit bleary eyed when I let them out of the coop, Lavender stayed behind rather than run to freedom.  Again I did not think much of it as often someone is busy laying and I 'do not disturb'.  This appears to take about 45 minutes.  The hens will just pop off to the nest box when they need too.  They all share the same single box.  Although there are two boxes they would rather plait their legs and wait for the 'Number 1' nest box to become vacant.  Lavender is currently an egg a day girl.
                   I have been busy going about the day today, as you do, but I hadn't seen Lavender.  Euan and his friend went to feed the chickens bread this afternoon and the three 'Ginger Ninjas' were making the boys laugh and jumping for bread.  I asked Euan to investigate where Lavender had got to.  He came back down the garden and said she was all puffed up in the nest box laying an egg.  It took another hour for this to sink in with me.  I thought 'Ahhh...Lavender is not right today...we have not seen her out.'  I went to investigate.  On the way I pulled an enormous swede out of the garden for lunch tomorrow.

This is the first swede I have ever grown, I hope it tastes good, I have an awful feeling it is going to be a woody disappointment.
                   I opened the nest box and there was Lavender.  Puffed up to an enormous size.  I said 'hello' and she gave me a squawk and she looked very cross.  I wondered if she was hurt and even though I do not want to be scratched or pecked by an angry chicken I know it is my duty to investigate and sort it out.  I tried to touch her and she gave me a low, growly, croak, that I clearly understood to mean 'Back off or else'!  Chickens can draw blood easily!  Ask me how I know!  I have never had a broody hen as the little Red  'Brown Link Hybrids' rarely go broody as they are egg production birds and the most prolific layers of the 'Chicken World'.  Lack or broodiness is a breed trait.  Lavender is a 'Speckledy Hen' which is also a Hybrid Breed but different to the Brown Links.  'Speckledy Hen' is a lovely breed name.  Who wouldn't want a 'Speckledy'?   Broodiness can cause significant health problems for a hen.  Broodiness can last for days if not weeks.  A hen will neglect her self care, not eating and drinking to sit on her eggs all day and all night.  She will protect them fiercely.  Her own health can take a nose dive.  I have read that the most effective way to cure broodiness is to house the hen separately in a wire floored pen for a few days.  The wire floor means they cannot get comfortable and it lowers their temperature.  Temperature is a key factor in broodiness too.  This sounds very harsh and is not really doable for me at the moment and as we are at 'Day 1' I will monitor Lavender closely and thank goodness I am off work so I have time to give her extra tlc.
                   I decided against her will, I had to get her off the 'nest'.  I chickened out and used a children's spade to gently 'shove' her off the nest.  She went straight for food and water and ate ravenously.  Her 'sisters' appear to be thoroughly enjoying a Lavenderless day.

Girls!  Should you be in there?

 Lavender was very cross, croaking and puffing herself up like a turkey.  The nest was incredibly warm and she was sitting on a toasty warm egg.  Much warmer than any egg I have felt before.  It is very cold here today so I decided to encourage her out of the coop altogether and close off the nest boxes until it is dark.

Lavender ran around the garden for a short while...croaking and eating ravenously.  That is the last apple of the year from the little apple tree.  They love the apples.

As well as apples chickens also love Curly Kale apparently!  Every chicken should be allowed to ransack the vegetable garden.   They are in heaven while they are ransacking vegetables.
                 Poor Broody Lavender ran back to the coop.  She is desperate to get back in the nest box and does not understand why she can't.  She looks very unsettled, anxious and cross.  I am in absolutely no doubt when I come across a cross chicken.  They are good communicators and let you know how they are feeling.  She is looking at the door and pacing and pecking.  The sooner I break the broodiness for her the better though.  The longer I leave her broody the harder it is to break.  Her feet look 'pink' usually they are cream, she looks like a child with a fever.  I am having to be cruel to be kind.  I have come to blog about it rather than watch her distress!  I am lucky it is cold now too as being off the nest and outside today will certainly lower her temperature.  If it were Summer and hot outside it would be a different matter. I have been blessed so far, the chickens have had really good health without any problems. . .so my 'Poultry keeping' adventures have been all happy and trouble free.  Having Lavender 'off colour' has bought it home to me how attached I am to these hens.  It makes me sad to see her distressed.  I want her to get back to her usual 'bustling' self asap.

Here is Rosie, she is a 'character'.  She stands there ready to climb on me.  Today she was very interested in my Wellyboots and she had a good peck and pull on my trousers.  Rosie looks like she is having a molt in this picture too.  I have never been through a 'chicken Molt' either.  In bad cases of a Molt they can run around looking 'oven ready'.  That would not be good for winter.  Beneath her wing she is has lost her top feathers and the pale 'downy' feathers a visible.  She will be chilly if they don't hurry up and grow back.  I can see me knitting chicken jackets!  Make the most of the peace and quiet Rosie because I am hoping Lavender will be fighting fit again in no time.
XXX

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

Chicken Unrest - Lavender Update

All Girlies slept together.  It is very rare for chickens to fight in the dark.  Lavender went first, she was a very tired girl.  Then I put the other three in the coop and they crept so tentatively to bed I had to chuckle.  I sat there waiting in the dark but there was no ruckus.  I googled what time was sunrise and set my alarm for 5.30am!  Out I crept and there was Lavender and two tired girls out in the coop.  They looked too tired to fight.  I wanted the others to have the opportunity to lay so I penned Lavender separately for an hour.  She is such a baby and everything is new to her.  She is 20 weeks old but has been in a barn.  She thinks grass is fantastic, she thinks bugs are fantastic and she is hyper vigilant to noises and the wild birds.  After an hour I went to check and there were three eggs!  One was very weak and broken.  I let the girls out and attempted to get lavender from the pen with a child's fishing net!  She escaped and gave me a brief run around.  I caught her and put her in the coop on her own where she is quite happy eating and drinking loads.
            I go back to work on Monday, so I really need to encourage harmony asap.  Armed with Euan's Pump Action Water Blaster:

I decided Lavender needed a 'Play Date' at about 6pm.  I assumed the role of either Mother Hen or a Cockerel I am not sure which. . .
                 Out she strutted.  She couldn't believe her luck.  She was fascinated and very nervous.  She scratched around and sampled a vast array of leaves. . . her eyes goggled trying to focus on tiny flying bugs and bless her she has a habit of crossing her legs like a baby Giraffe!  She gets her feet and legs into a tangle!  I would love to photograph that.  I couldn't take photographs as I had a heavily loaded water blaster and a child's fishing net!  She particularly loved Raspberry leaves and bramble leaves.  Then she spotted the others and they spotted her.  The pecking order has completely shifted.  Instead of Rose (bottom of the pecking order and the 'Winnie The Pooh brained Chicken) getting left out she is now firmly in the gang.

Those three are sticking together like. . . sisters!  Lavender ran straight to them. . . they tried to run to me. . . begging me to do something.  She gave Poppy, top of the pecking order, a nasty peck and puffed up ready to fight, so I blasted her!  They all scattered squawking!  They recovered and all started warily going about their business. . . their is definitely a mutual fascination going on.  Rose is the bravest and seems to be the one that is most eager to make friends but her behaviour is still very passive, she bows her head or stands as still as a statue when Lavender is right next to her.  Poppy and Daisy watched this and seemed to realise that Rose is avoiding a beating!  So they quickly started to do the same.  It is not working so well for Poppy but I was there and blasting before anything got too bad!  Poor Poppy still has her injury from yesterday.  It is a small nick, that has scabbed cleanly as she let me apply disinfectant straight away.  I was playing 'Cockerel' or 'Mother Hen' for about two hours.  It all went well considering the circumstances.  Rosie has been a loner but now the other two are following her everywhere as she seems to know what to do.  There were a few harmonious moments where there was a group of four chickens that looked like they might be able to get along.  It all ended when Lavender took a leap and perched on a bramble, higher than my head, ready to jump over the neighbours!  I swiped her with the fishing net and caught her and put her to bed!  I am having a steep learning curve in 'Poultry Care'.  I thought I was up for the challenge and I hope I am!  My Partner has not noticed today!  He and Lavender have not met.  He is not going to be at all happy with a fence jumping chicken, neither are the neighbours!  I hope she grows out of that.  The others escaped once through a hole in the fence and dug up the neighbours parsnips!  They like to help me do that!  In fact each morning I am gathering potatoes that they dig up for me, I haven't had to dig for any!
            I think I am already quite attached to Lavender, she has a sweet little song, she is only a baby and the world is all very big and is as exciting as it is daunting.  She listens to me and likes to follow me which I am quite glad about.   I have four chickens that at least think I am the boss!  That Water Blaster has earned me some healthy respect.
              I might be able to put the Water Blaster down tomorrow and take some photographs.  I am exhausted and will set my alarm for before sunrise again tomorrow. . . being a chicken Mom is hard work at the moment!  

I have really gone and done it now!

This is not the only 'butting of heads' I have witnessed today!  We went for our long awaited trip to 'Chicken World'.  Me and Euan call it that, it is really called 'The Domestic Fowl and Rare Breeds Trust' at Honeybourne.  It has changed hands since our last visit and was a very different but really enjoyable day out.
While these two Pygmy goats were butting heads, this one was calmly soaking up the love.

It was incredibly sweet natured and really soft.  When I win the Lottery I will definitely have some of these!

This piggy wig was adorable too and wagged his little tail when you chatted to him.  I will have some of these too!

I actually don't fancy one of these.  Llama's are big and can give you a nasty look!

Euan would like one of these if we win the Lottery and a track!  I think we would need one each.  They were great fun.  It was very quiet so I sneaked the opportunity to pedal around the track a few times 'Like a bat out of hell' racing my son!
          Talking of hell, I saw some 'La Fleche' chickens, otherwise known as 'Devils Head Chickens'. . . look at these:

Complete with horns.

We had a go at 'Den Building'.  Euan really thought carefully about this, selecting sticks for their 'best fit' qualities.

I think we could do more of this in our local woods, the dog could come and have fun too.

We Ooooed and aaaahhhed over the babies.  I think these are Quails.

Ducklings are adorable.  I worked up quite a thirst and an appetite so we stopped for lunch.

I love mismatched crockery.  Over lunch something weird happened.  I got nagged and had a moment of weakness.  One of our hens at home has stopped laying so I get two eggs a day from three hens.  It seemed logical to increase our numbers!  Euan begged and pleaded and promised to be the most committed chicken keeper the world has ever seen, so we chose our new addition.  You only live once eh?  I believe a bit of 'Crazy' is good for the soul.   I have read obsessively about chickens and know introducing a new one is not easy.  The new one is prone to bullying as chickens are flock animal with a fairly rigid pecking order.  My three have a very clear, yet harmonious pecking order.  I worried the new girl would be picked on.  Euan sang to her in the back of the car and told her what a lovely life she would have, for the journey home and by the time we got home he had decided her name was 'Lavender'.

Here is 'The Lovely Lavender'. . . or possibly the 'Not so Lovely lavender'!  She is a 'Speckledy Hybrid'.
 The man at the shop recommended I spray all the chickens with a solution of vinegar so they all smell the same and shut them in the coop and let them 'get on with it'.  My three girls 'Free range' from dawn until dusk.  Ok ok . . . vinegar sprayed. . . all over four hens.   My old girls don't bat an eyelid and even let me 'bath and blow dry' them.  I have had them since they were eggs!  They trust me implicitly and think I am 'Mom'.  Well how I have rocked their world!

Out came Lavender!  All hell let loose!  My three quickly forgot their pecking order and all got terrified.  Lavender is 20 weeks old.  She immediately kept the highest point in the coop and puffed herself up to twice her normal size and began pecking the other three in a really savage fashion.  They submitted, they bowed their heads low, she pecked um!  They lay down, she pecked um!  They tried fighting back she pecked and drew blood on the 'Top Ranking Chicken' Poppy.  My three begged me to be let out of the carnage!  I let them out.  I had four chickens 'honking' loudly for about 30 minutes!
             I have had to race to the 'Cornstores' for Violet anti-bacterial spray for Poppies wound.  She sat and let me clean her up with disinfectant.  Blood is a magnet for all chickens and they will continue to peck wounds, so you spray them violet.  I also bought 'Anti Pecking Spray' and have had to spray all four chickens again.  I sprayed myself liberally too by accident and had to go and shower and literally scrub the revolting stuff off.  The man in the Cornstores thought it was most unusual for the new one to take top of the pecking order. . .typical of me. . .  he even asked me if I had mistakenly got a cockerel.  Normally the new one is bullied and submissive.  All is calm at the moment.  Lavender has the coop and run all to herself, while the others have the garden.  Lord knows what is going to happen at bedtime!  I am going to set my alarm for sunrise and get out there early in the morning to sort the trouble.  Euan thinks it is all fantastically dramatic and entertaining.  He has filled his water gun and put it on top of the coop for me to spray Lavender if she is nasty and I will!  I am not sure how long she will be staying. . .

Edit:  My OH does not read my Blog. . .I hope. . .I wonder how long I can keep a 'Savage Chicken' a secret?  

Benefits Of Riding A Bicycle

This morning I was awake ridiculously early for a Sunday.  6am!  Daisy the Chicken decided she wanted to play at being a cockerel!  She was doing a great job.  I ran up the garden to let her out early thinking that the blue sky and sunshine was making her honk for freedom.  Nope!  She still kept on 'honking' really loudly.  You know I love my 'Backyard Chickens'.  I think Chickens make great urban 'Pets with benefits' but 6am!     I scanned the garden for issues...cats lurking...to see if anything was upsetting her...nope.  I scattered food to take her mind off her honking ...nope!  I chatted to her...nope.  I picked her up for a cuddle...nope.  As soon as I put her down again more honking.  Some freshly picked raspberries and blackberries temporarily shut her up.  She looks well with no obvious injuries...she just wanted to make some noise.  When her 'sister' Poppy (Top of the pecking order), had finished laying, Daisy shut up!   I live in the middle of an old 1950s Council Estate in a fairly busy street.  I have some inconsiderate neighbours that are pretty noisy and we regularly/daily have dogs barking and howling...may as well add my chickens to the mix.  It is just unusual for them to be so loud, for so long and so early.  The Poultry books definitely did not mention chickens being a noise issue!  If they did I must have skipped that page!  I can be pretty blinkered and only take in the good bits!  Chickens are perfectly quiet pets for 99% of the time but for that 1%  boy oh boy do they make some noise!   I have shown you this photograph before, here is a cross chicken!

 That is Poppy, with Daisy in the background, those two stick together like...'birds of a feather'.  Rose is the 'Winnie the Pooh' of chickens and likes to do her own thing and generally 'thinks outside of the box'.  She seems to prefer human company.

Rose likes to jump on my back and stand on my head or shoulders so she can get a 'birds eye view' of the gardening.
          Having been unceremoniously raised from my slumber, early on a Sunday morning, I decided as the sun was shining and the sky was blue I may as well do an early morning bike ride.  Another benefit of riding a bicycle is it can be used to redress over indulgences like 'Chinese Buffets'.  I am still repenting for that 'Chinese Buffet'.  The day before we 'celebrated' Henry's exam results with a 'Mixed Grill' and wine (not conducive to being a good 'Weight Watcher').  He passed, with good grades and will be heading to 'sixth form' to study for 'A' levels.  That should keep him out of mischief.  We shall see.
           I can't believe how early it still is!  I have legs of lead and the chickens are now snoozing in the garden.  They sprawl out like dogs and sleep in the sunshine.  I might go and honk at them...
Hope you are all having a good weekend.  :) xxx

Random Raspberries and Other Stories . . .

What a lovely 1st of July.  Not only did we have the excitement of the Olympic Torch.  I have had the excitement of picking the first of this years raspberries from the garden.  Yum.  Three Little Red Hens cluck enthusiastically for their share.  They love raspberries and for the next few weeks they will provide a daily treat.  I try to put the raspberries to good use, making jam and Homemade Raspberry Liqueurs.  Tonight I made a scrummy and speedy pud using ready made Meringue Nests, Homemade soft cheese and homegrown raspberries.  Very pleased with myself I was too.

I just filled the Meringue Nests with the Soft Cheese and popped the raspberries on top.  Delicious.  The raspberries grow in the 'Chickens half of the garden'.  I had until today assumed the majority of the fruit was safe as although a hungry chicken can do a fairly high standing jump most of the berries are to high to reach.  Now this evening I have discovered there has been some cunning going on.  I found three chickens pecking all the berries off this fallen raspberry cane.

I did not see the deed but I suspect the three worked together and jumped on the cane until it fell!  I hope they are not going to make a habit of it.

Innocent until proven guilty. . . unless you are a chicken.  You can see they have been playing 'Foghorn Leghorn' with corn on the cobs. . . they love that too.  Good job I love them.  The cheeky girls!
Finally. . . Oh yes. . .

Pinch Punch First of The Month!   xxx