The new girls Maureen,Patty,Jenny,Faye and Sheila have settled down famously, so I have let them out into their bigger run with cockerel Poppy, who accepted the newcomers with a conceit of a male that knows he has 5 adoring fans.Fired up with this success, I fed the 12 adolescent hens still enclosed in their small run inside the main enclosure and on a whim I opened up their run and let the two flocks merge for the first time!
At first there was quiet!, then the old bald bruiser Mildred Pierce, clucking loudly to herself, waded in and launched an attack on the lead hens and Suddenly a calm, feeding scene was turned into what only could be described as a old fashioned western bar room brawl as both sides got stuck in.
The smaller hens and bantams ran around in circles screaming loudly and the braver hens slashed away with beaks and feet! I am sure that if there were any wooden tables,chairs and bottles of whisky around they would have been smashed with gay abandon.
Even Stanley, who would have stopped any fracas dead, stood stock still, bemused by the riot. I must have looked a bit of an old fart as I ran around shouting "STOP IT! STOP IIIIITTTTTTTTTT!" (as if hens with brains the size of an average peanut understand English!)
Luckily I had a yard brush in my hand and after several attempts managed to sweep most of the new girls back into their run. I also gave Mildred a good clack for good measure as she ran past spitting out a mouthful of buff feathers ....message to self, leave the teenage hens a little longer in their own run
Chris has been pretty stressed in work these past few weeks, so I think he is looking forward to the Ballroom dance night he is going to tonight with Janet in Liverpool. They have been practicing for weeks now, sparkly new outfits have been purchased and a hamper of goodies will be organised for them !....
Saloon Brawl? You are funny. Sadly, I had a vision of you, just like this.
ReplyDeleteYou're the photographer at 00:12. The blond at the bar looks familiar, too.
Speak soon Nx
amy winehouse on steroids
ReplyDeletespeak over next couple of days
Hi John - i used to have this problem until an old timer told me to add chickens to the main coup at night - seems that if they wake together in the morning any past history it forgotten - you probably are pretty chicken to try this now though, aren't you - peace for all
ReplyDeleteWhen do you get your Sheriff's badge then?! Hope they settle eventually. I also swear by the introduce them at night & confuse them trick ;-)
ReplyDelete