Daryl and Hannah pictures

They seemed to sleep well, and there was a bit of argy-bargy this morning where every other chicken attacked them, but they took it in their stride, didn't fight back and are just getting on with their own thing. They really are lovely placid and friendly chickens. First picture is Daryl and then the lovely Hannah.

Melton Mowbray Rare Breed Poultry Sale

I had a fabulous day today with my sister-in-law, Andrea. We went off to the Rare Breed sale for the first time, not having any idea of what to expect, and within five minutes I'd bought two Cochin Blue Splash hens. They are stunning! I've named them Daryl and Hannah :) They're currently in a run in the garden and trashing the grass. I've washed both of them - their feet and leg feathers were filthy and I don't want them to cross-contaminate my chickens. I'll be popping them into the coop when it's dark and the chickens are more settled. You should really keep them separated for a week, but my little animal ark I use for isolations is too small for these feathery beasts - so in the coop they go. Hopefully, tomorrow morning they will all be used to each other and ready to share the garden.

We'll see.

Pictures tomorrow - my camera battery is totally flat!

UPDATE: I popped them into the coop when it got dark and they are all now kipping away quite happily.

Sunny days

The chickens, cat and I have been enjoying the lovely weather - as is the garden. I've had to re-plant most of my flower bed as pretty much everything died in the -10 winter weather and under the snow and ice. I've also put a little fence around the plants to protect them from the chooks. Like cats, they love a freshly turned mound of earth to explore for treats. Hopefully my dwarf conifers will take root and live longer the plants I put in last summer.

I told the chickens about the new UN resolution 1973, as there are a number of planes making their way overhead to various other airbases, but they didn't really understand. (!) However, I would like to send my heartfelt wishes to those who are fighting for their rights in Libya, along with all the other people in the regions who are fighting for democracy. Bahrain, Yemen, Tunisia, Egypt - you are all in our thoughts. And Japan, what can anyone say? Hearfelt wishes and hopes for the tectonic plates to calm down.

Settling down and Shooting Season

Well, the chooks seem to be quite settled since Barnaby has left. Life is certainly quieter around here, and I had no idea how much damage was being done by him. I thought that my garden furniture would now be safe from the contents of his arse, then discovered that both Ava and Grace had decided to use it as a vantage point in the garden. The little tinkers! At least the saddle of my bike has been bird poo free so far.

My little Betsey, the 'chick', is now 19 weeks old and looking more adult. She's a massive bird and tall. Andrea says that she looks like a ballerina, as she has long legs and tends to stretch her neck up. She's lanky rather than graceful though, and I think her body shape and feathers are now starting to look more like her big Orpington Dad - although she's already taller than him! I love hatching out birds and seeing how they turn out. I'm lucky that I can have a cockerel here, and George is a delight.

Poor George. He has to put up with me cuddling him at every opportunity. I try to limit myself to just a couple of times a week, but he's hard to resist. He's just a great big feather pillow without the cotton cover!

They are all coping well despite the shooting season that is going on all around us. The copse over the road is full of pheasants and for the last week there has been a shot every few minutes. Earlier it actually sounded like they were using grenades - although I'm fairly certain that's not possible in rural Leicestershire. I asked the local farmer if they'd killed them all yet, and he reckons there were still some to catch - blimey - they must be really bad shots and just keep missing the same two birds! I heard two badgers fighting for the first time the other night it really sounds incredibly vicious. Scared the heck out of me and the chooks.

Barnaby the chasing cockerel has left the coop...

...he had to go. Such an aggressive little boy! He has chased the cat out of the garden since he was tiny and he never became the boyfriend for my other bantam, Ken, that I'd hoped for.

I hate taking chickens to the market. You can never tell whether they will be picked up by a breeder with some pretty hens, or just get swept up by 'the man from the meat factory'. In my mind, he's now with three lovely ladies that are fawning all over him at how beautiful he is. Awwwwww.