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!