The rest of my birthday has felt a little strange. I feel as I have been "catching up" with things and never quite have reached completion with most of them.We had lunch out in a small little Cafe in St Asaph which was nice, then I went to my other "bank" triage nurse interview as Chris waited in the car. As temperatures reached 25 degrees, I then dragged him around local farms in search of a couple of one day old hen chicks.
Blanche's condition has taken a turn for the worse. Everything I have done to break her broody sitting (sin bins....plunging her bum into buckets of cold water!!! etc etc) has failed and as she has stubbornly sat on any nest she has found, her condition has deteriorated dreadfully.
In desperation we called into Babell where the lady that sold us my first hens lives. She had no chicks but sent us scooting across the countryside in search for her friend Cae, who may have been of help.
Finally we found a very motherly looking red faced farmers wife called Cae who very kindly gave me a hatching hens egg and a tiny one day old duckling. We dashed back to Trelawnyd where we set Blanche up on the egg and duckling. Only time will tell if the sudden appearance of one fluffy baby and one potential baby will have the desired effect of breaking Blanche's broody nature but at least I have done everything to help.
This evening Chris has popped out for an Indian takaway as I caught up with feeding watering and gift opening. As usual my sisters have done me proud with a selection of thoughtful pressies, which included: hikers pants, a water feeder for the hens, two black current bushes,bedding plants, batteries,proper coffee, posh soap (trying to tell me something?) a hen biscuit box, and a pair of wellies!. Mother in law Sorrel sent some gardening vouchers which I have already spent on some lovely lavender plants for my flower bed in the allotment.....
Blanche has been icey water-butted by you!!! Old Obama would have a word or two to say to you about that! Hope your plan works on her.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you've had a lovely exteeeennnddded birthday.
Pardon my nose here, but why don't you want her to sit on eggs? Golf balls are excellent egg replacements for a broody girl. Please if you could give her some apple cider vinegar and some yogurt with oats of calm her shattered nerves. She will indeed be very happy with gifts you brought her and far too busy to want to set anymore. On our farm once one girl gets a brood of chicks they all start setting in an effort to outdo each other. They even get in fights over the nests. We do not want them to set because we don't want to kill the roosters. Already this year 4 chickens have managed to sneak away and had chicks. That is over 30 chicks!! Ain't nature grand! Peace
ReplyDeleterose,
ReplyDeleteBlanche is almost bald and moulting, I doubt she could sit for a whole 3 week incubation as she is a hen that typically does not eat and hardly drinks when sitting, even when she is removed three times a day.
hopefully the new duckling will give her a new family instantly and therefore help her recover!
x
ps.
ReplyDeleteI tried the oats and yogurt this evening!
xx