June already

.... and I've not written anything for ages! Well, we had to dispatch the cockeral. He was crowing and was on the verge of upsetting the neighbours. It took two days but we managed it in the end (long story!). I felt very sad doing the deed but realise that its something I need to get used to if I'm going to continue to raise birds for the table.

Our beloved Whiskas has gone. She went for a walk and never came back. A neighbour's cat was attacked by a fox at the same time so I can only assume that Whiskas went the same way. A few days after the Whiskas saga, two of the table birds (who had been free ranging for a couple of weeks) went awol. So, we now have just the one table bird who has moved in with the rest of the ladies and is going to be a layer (we hope). Its not cost effective to dispatch her on her own!! So, she's known as Sheba and joins Felix, Kitekat, Dansak and Korma.

I have to say though, I don't think I realised that there would ever be quite so much chicken pooh. The neighbours love me because every week, someone gets a barrow load deposited outside their door (people I know of course!). In return, I get scraps for the birds! They love Pilau rice!

On the baby front, am 5 months gone now and have stopped feeling quite so sick and can now stomach egg!

Promise not to be so remiss about updating you all (well, three of you?) on the events and happenings here at Hillstart View!

Whiskas is AWOL

Well, its over a week now since Whiskas failed to roost. We're all a bit sad here but are still hopeful that she'll come back. There's no sign of any feathers anywhere and I feel that if she'd been taken by a fox, then the fox would have come back for more.

A friend had a hen who went walkabout for 10 days and then returned happily after her holiday. So fingers crossed that Whiskas will re-appear.

Other than that, one of the table birds is a cockeral. We know that because he's started to try to crow. So, if anyone wants a young cockeral, just let me know! The other three are definately girls so that's something I suppose.

Not much else to report. The garden works have been completed - the chickens are enjoying scratching away at the freshly turned soil and I'm protecting all my seedlings etc from their beaks.

Bye for now

The chicks have moved outside (at last!)

Last week we bid farewell to Matilda and Pepper who returned to their family in Reading. The garden is just a little bit empty now and my girls are definately missing their friends. During the last two weeks of their stay with us, Pepper and Matilda refused to roost in their own Eglu and joined my ladies in their cube. I was therefore able to bring the chicks out into the now empty Eglu. They seem to like it although they didn't know where to sleep the first night (despite using a torch in the eglu to guide them in!) A week or so later and they are well and truly settled. They have had one free ranging experience when my 4yr old opened their run. I spent an exhausting hour trying to round them up. I must remember to clip their wings soon! I've attached a photo which only shows three of the "chicks" - the other one is still with us but was just feeling a little camera shy this morning!

The chicks are getting feathered up

Its been a while since I posted anything, so have taken some recent photos to load up of the chicks. They are over 3 weeks old now and will be going outside in a week or two. The lovely cheeping/chirping noise has been driving us all demented and so I've had to move them out of the kitchen and into the utility room. I can still hear them but its not so loud and it allows the dogs some piece!

From one extreme to another

A few weeks ago, we had the huge egg. Today, we have the small egg - its the one on the left. It's Kitekat's first egg (that I've found). Fingers crossed they are going to get bigger!

Here they are ....

The chicks have arrived!

The eggs are cheeping!

Right - we're now in countdown ..... chicks due to hatch on Friday 8th Feb. All four are happily cheeping/chirping (?) and I thought I heard some pipping going on. This is all so exciting - fingers crossed they'll all survive the hatching process. They have already been named - Roast, Kiev, Soup and Pie although maybe that wasn't the smartest thing!

The brooder is all set up and ready - the lamp works, the woodshavings are in place - the drinker and feeder just need filling up......

Will update and post pictures as soon as they arrive (of course, I'm due out overnite on Saturday aren't I - the babysitter will probably be the first human they ever see!) I might have to feign illness.......

The chicks are getting ready to hatch

The brooder arrived this morning - it is now all put together and waiting for its first guests. I have removed the incubator from the turning cradle, removed the egg bars, put some muslin on the bottom and filled the water trays. The air vent is fully open and the temperature maintained.

Having candled the eggs earlier today, I am pleased to announce that all four eggs have movement within - I had thought that two hadn't progressed but I was wrong!

Friday is day 21 .... pipping could be today or tomorrow ..... safe arrival (fingers crossed) by Saturday!

Hen Party ......

I think it went ok. The people who came seemed to get what they wanted from the morning - including frostbite. Chocolate cake was on offer and that seemed to go down well too. I know I've only had chickens for a little while but maybe that counts in my favour as everything is new, I've made mistakes and remember them and am learning all the time.

I have two more courses coming up and they're both fully booked ..... its all very exciting. Its not all hard sell on the Eglu either - the course is a beginners guide to keeping chickens - not a beginners guide to the Eglu/Cube. I did make sure I talked about the pros-cons of traditional wooden chicken house to the Omlet version and mentioned why I came to my own decision.

Hen Party - getting nervous

No, not a normal run of the mill pre-wedding Hen Party - but a "Learn how to look after chickens including the day to day maintenance, feeding, health checks and how to handle your chickens" kind of hen party! Its co-ordinated by Omlet, the makers of the wonderful Eglu, and I am nervous and excited at the same time.

Check back on Sunday to see how it went!

Piccies of our guests and my latest craft ideas!

I've attached a few photos of Matilda, the chickens barging into the kitchen much to Tilly's amusement and one of Pepper (Matilda and Pepper are our guests)and of the egg cosies I'm making! Enjoy

Incubating News and update on the guests

Well, Pepper and Matilda turned up on Sunday morning and settled in quickly to their holiday chalet. The following morning, I was pleased to take delivery of a lovely large egg from Pepper. She obviously felt right at home. Pepper and Matilda are very vocal and have made themselves heard above my own lot. Dansak and Pepper appear to have made friends and regularly spend time chatting away through the run. I am thinking that I will let Pepper and Matilda out on Sunday afternoon if its dry for an hour or so just to stretch their legs and have a wander.

The incubator is plugged in and 6 eggs (dorking x) are in place and being gently rocked and warmed. Having candled today (day 7) there is definate movement in two eggs, something dark in two others but the other two are looking sadly empty. However, I shall leave well alone for now and candle again in a couple of days to assess development. Its very exciting. I have just worked out that they are due to hatch on the same night as my husbands company Christmas Do - which of course is in February. I may have to forgo the slap up meal, dancing and overnight accommodation (away from the children!) for a night spent anxiously looking at the incubator.

My son arrived safely in South Africa by the way, but missed his connecting flight from Joburg - not his fault as his first plane arrived an hour late. No problems though as he was looked after and got the next flight and arrived early evening local time. He seems to have settled in already and the family he is staying with seem great.

Anyway - will update when either more amazing eggs arrive or I have news from the hatching eggs.

Eagerly awaiting the arrival of our first guests....

Pepper and Matilda will be arriving tomorrow morning for a 9 week vacation with us. Their accommodation has been cleaned out and kitted out with fresh bedding and we can't wait for them to arrive.

Matt, my 11yr old son, is off to South Africa tomorrow for 8 weeks - he's really excited and nervous and I'm not sure if agreeing to his going was such a good idea. I know he'll have a wonderful time but its such a long time. Anyway - at least he'll have the opportunity to get out of the disgusting weather we're having at the moment.

So - latest chicken news - the incubator is switched on and gently rocking and warming the 6 hatching eggs - Dorking X that will hopefully pip out in 21 days and a few months later will end up on the table..... I can candle the eggs next week to see if anything's going on - will update blog then.

Here are a couple of updated piccies - one of a damp hen seeking refuge and the other of the Omlet site in my back garden.

Let me introduce you and something to make your eyes water.....

I now have a photo of the latest additions to my brood, namely Dansak (on the right) and Korma. They are joining Whiskas, Felix and Kitekat in making my garden a scrappy lovely mess. What with all the rain we've been having, its quite a quagmire out there and they simply don't mind at all.

I've also put in a photo of one of Dansak's eggs compared against a Tesco Large Free Range egg. No wonder she was rather vocal this morning.

I have decided to rear chicken for the table and have done oodles of research as to which breed etc - am trying to find hatching eggs for Ixworth but they're like gold-dust and have been given some Dorking X eggs which should arrive tomorrow (along with the incubator). Am also going to get some Sasso day old chicks as these are supposed to grow quickly (before the males crow) but don't suffer from leg/heart problems. I just have to purchase the dispatching pliers now....

Felix is back! Hurrah!

Well, I spent a sleepless night worrying about Felix last night. The weather was awful - wet and windy and bitterly cold and I so hoped she'd found somewhere safe and dry and warmish for the night.

I awoke this morning to find no sign of Felix - the other two were missing her and were quite vocal so I hoped that they would "talk" her back.

I had to go out for a couple of hours this afternoon so put Whiskas and Kitekat in the run and when I returned to let them out for a pre-bedtime stroll, there was Felix - bold as you like, pecking around without a care in the world. The other two were quite eager to see her so a happy reunion took place.

I shall sleep well tonight.

We have now added to our brood. We have another Gingernut and Pepperpot - names yet to be decided. Possibly Dansak and Korma, but not sure. Will keep you posted on them!

A second layer! Hurrah!

Well, this morning Felix laid her first egg. We have worked out that Whiskas was the original layer and now Felix has caught her up. We're now waiting for Kitekat to get her arse (literally) in gear and start laying too.

However - Felix has this evening gone AWOL. I'm hoping that she's not been too traumatised by the egg laying and has just decided she needed some space from her roosting partners. I have been out with a torch and her tin of treats calling her but to no avail. I'm praying she'll turn up in the morning.

What a sad middle aged woman am I