I really need to do something other than talk about chicks! I've turned into one of those 'new Mums' that think everyone is as enchanted as they are and (sorry to say but it does happen) talk about how amazing they are, how well they are doing, all about the poo..., oh dear!
Anyway, the girls are doing well. I am getting very loath to pass Lola (aka Mega-chicken) to my cousin. The reason we were going to pass her on was because we don't have large fowl but only keep bantams. They do less damage to the garden and look so cute. However Mega-chicken has been delightful despite eating my pea shoots. She is like the pet dog - she runs over when she sees me (for food of course) and ducks down to be stroked if you put a hand over her whereas the others race off. She is curious and stupid and I am very fond of her. If I'm totally honest I know she'll prefer to live here because she has the run of the garden and she is so nosey that a smaller pen will not be enough for her. She spent two years in a tiny run with three other large chickens so now she has a much larger run with only a bantam for company plus the run of two gardens (the long suffering neighbour, Jack, never complains about them). How will she be waking up to a smaller space with four other chickens?
My argument is that we have saved her from her old life, got her very healthy and happy and are passing her on to chickens her own size but I know I'm trying to justify my decision not to keep her. The thing is, we have these three new chicks who will be dwarfed by her and initially frightened. Some people keep lots of different breeds together but the professionals don't really recommend this and we want to do best by our old hen, Buckster. The sensible thing to do is keep to our original idea of having just bantams but the heart gets more attached to that great big thing that comes lolloping over like a too enthusiastic teenager whenever she sees me. The dilemma!
The new girls have been introduced to the joy of tomato seeds today. Poppy has discovered the perch. At least she thinks she has discovered the perch - what she has in fact decided to use as her lounging place is the bamboo cane holding up the food container. All well and good only the silly girl sits on top of the food container and happily defecates into the food! A friend of mine explained that with such a little space for a brain we couldn't expect too much but really! So now the food container is back on the ground which means we will have to clean it out each night because they scratch around and flick dirt into the food. Poppy can still sit atop of the cane and delights in doing so. Mrs Bun (is She a He? I still have my doubts) is the bravest of the new chicks. I told Luke that was because she had more testosterone than the other two which rewarded me with a raised eyebrow and a disproving look. She is growing by the minute. Whilst she would still sit in our palm quite easily she looks like she is probably 25% larger that she was one week ago. I've taken millions of photos that I will add later today. Then I'm going to try very hard not to keep talking about them!
Anyway, the girls are doing well. I am getting very loath to pass Lola (aka Mega-chicken) to my cousin. The reason we were going to pass her on was because we don't have large fowl but only keep bantams. They do less damage to the garden and look so cute. However Mega-chicken has been delightful despite eating my pea shoots. She is like the pet dog - she runs over when she sees me (for food of course) and ducks down to be stroked if you put a hand over her whereas the others race off. She is curious and stupid and I am very fond of her. If I'm totally honest I know she'll prefer to live here because she has the run of the garden and she is so nosey that a smaller pen will not be enough for her. She spent two years in a tiny run with three other large chickens so now she has a much larger run with only a bantam for company plus the run of two gardens (the long suffering neighbour, Jack, never complains about them). How will she be waking up to a smaller space with four other chickens?
My argument is that we have saved her from her old life, got her very healthy and happy and are passing her on to chickens her own size but I know I'm trying to justify my decision not to keep her. The thing is, we have these three new chicks who will be dwarfed by her and initially frightened. Some people keep lots of different breeds together but the professionals don't really recommend this and we want to do best by our old hen, Buckster. The sensible thing to do is keep to our original idea of having just bantams but the heart gets more attached to that great big thing that comes lolloping over like a too enthusiastic teenager whenever she sees me. The dilemma!
The new girls have been introduced to the joy of tomato seeds today. Poppy has discovered the perch. At least she thinks she has discovered the perch - what she has in fact decided to use as her lounging place is the bamboo cane holding up the food container. All well and good only the silly girl sits on top of the food container and happily defecates into the food! A friend of mine explained that with such a little space for a brain we couldn't expect too much but really! So now the food container is back on the ground which means we will have to clean it out each night because they scratch around and flick dirt into the food. Poppy can still sit atop of the cane and delights in doing so. Mrs Bun (is She a He? I still have my doubts) is the bravest of the new chicks. I told Luke that was because she had more testosterone than the other two which rewarded me with a raised eyebrow and a disproving look. She is growing by the minute. Whilst she would still sit in our palm quite easily she looks like she is probably 25% larger that she was one week ago. I've taken millions of photos that I will add later today. Then I'm going to try very hard not to keep talking about them!
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