Four Scruffy hens & Sorrel kicks some ass!

The chap that wanted to get rid of some unwanted hens didn't turn up today, so after a bit of ringing around I went to see him! He was friendly enough, but some of his girls were, shall we say, a "little below par" and most had seen better days! After a long time checking each bird (I found one cockerel with scaly leg mite which he knew nothing about) I chose 3 underweight black rocks and a shy bullied brown hybrid which were housed in a tiny dirt run and said I would take a pair of guinea fowl off his hands too, The guinea fowl were out in his back yard, and would not be caught, so I asked him to keep them safe until I could collect them at another time.

Many of his old hens and bantams, needed some TLC, and I had to draw the line in accepting any of the obviously frail birds, but at least I could give six birds a good home.

When I got the girls home, I bathed each one in a tea tree bath, treated them all for mites and worms and placed them in their own green run with plenty of water and feed. The corn was finished off in seconds, and it was lovely to see them pecking excitedly at grass(I don't think they have ever experienced grass before) and some melon seeds that I put out for them. Hopefully they will make buxom, happy hens.

Sorrel and Chris have enjoyed a day's shopping but Sorrel was completely exhausted on her return home. This was not just due to some over excited retail therapy, but was a result of a battle she had with a tenacious horse fly in the middle of the night!

This might not sound too interesting, but I must admit, it was a little shocking as the level of noise and violence was considerable! First there was a succession of loud TWACKS with a paperback,,, followed by a few muffled cries , then a brief silence before what could only be described as ten murderous slaps of a slipper accompanied with some triumphant "arrrhhh haaaaas!!!". Not being content with merely flattening the fly, she followed all this up with a final set of bangs with her glasses case, pulverizing it into the carpet.

suffice to say, Sorrel doesn't "do" pests of any sort....I sometimes think that the countryside holds too many horrors for her to relax completely in it.......worries that Albert would sneak into her room with the body of a small dead mouse, meant that her bedroom door was always very firmly locked!

We have enjoyed having her!