Field update and a requested roll call

Another morning, another ice cold start.
The morning routine is practiced and now, almost relies on muscle memory rather than conscious thought. I no longer need Chris to assist with turkey tablet administration, and with a great deal of professional "joir de vivre" I can now corner Boris, sit on him, open his beak and drop in the required medication..literally within seconds; leaving him slightly stunned but unharmed with the whole affair! Gloria and the baby turkeys put up less of a challenge, and this morning I was glad to see that no more yellow poo could be seen in both turkey houses....I am guarded but I may pull all six birds through the blackhead threat.

Today is the last day of Chris' holiday, and although I love him dearly, I can't wait for him to get back to some sort of normality at the University. The combination of snow, cold, 4 dogs and a cat and a very small cottage and 24/7 Chris has jangled my nerves slightly (I know I am a pig!), I know too that I am a creature of routine, and getting back into it will be just fine and dandy!.

Anyhow I will close with an answer to an email I received yesterday from a very funny lady called Justine from somewhere in the wilds of Washington State in the USA.
She asked me for a roll call of our animals, and because I love making lists I am more than happy to comply with her request......so here goes:-

2 Welsh Terriers (Meg and William)
2 Scottish Terriers (Maddie and George)
1 cat with multiple leg fractures (Albert)
2 Pot bellied pigs (Gladys and Nora)
1 gay guinea fowl cock with a crush on Rogo the cockerel (Hughie)
6 adolescent guinea fowl that have not as yet been sexed
3 full grown cockerels (Bill, Rogo and the elderly Stanley)
1 immigrant cockerel (Jesus, the cockerel that turned up on Boxing night)
1 Buff Orpington cockerel (the sweet natured Scotty)
2 bantam cockerels (Pirrie and Roger)
2 adult turkeys (Boris and the slutty looking white turkey Gloria)
4 adolescent turkey poults (not named or sexed as these will be sold---gulp!)
6 indian runner ducks
1 orphan muscovy drake (Halleh-above pic)- who was brought up by Blanche the hen
7 golden buff orpington hens (Elizabeth, Lily,Sorrel,violet,Kate Winslett, Marion and Jessop)
2 partridge orpington hens (Shula and Jill)
1 white lace orpington that was dumped by the gate (Lillian)
1 runt hen with a dislocated hip (Bunny)
2 acarana hens (Sheila and faye)
1 pure breed excelsior leghorn (the highly strung Scarlett)
36 assorted hybrid hens including a few surviving elderly girls from my original coop (Mildred Pierce,Whoopie Goldberg, Raquel Welsh) and my champion broody hen Blanche, who has raised brood after brood of chicks and ducklings over the past few years

Total population 84
85 with Chris

Must go......the dogs need a walk and Chris is going to Church this morning and has been elevated to bell ringer, so I want to be back so I can hear him massacre the bell ringing rhythm again (last time it sounded like war had broken out!!!!!!!!!!!!)