It has felt like summer today; house martins have been swooping around the field borders and I have caught the sun after finishing off the weeding and planting out French beans, marigolds and turnip seedlings swapped with another villager for some eggs.
Broody hens and now ducks seem to be everywhere. Lilly, the buff has now parked herself on any egg she can find and in one of the rabbit hutches two of the runner ducks have collectively started their broody sittings!
Kate Winslet has been fed with corn, cat food (good for a sitting hen) and pasta and has been set up on some more eggs within the safety of a new crow proof run and I have surrounded Blanche's broody box with chicken wire.
I have also set up another enclosure in which to house Jesus. His sexual advances has somewhat knackered many of the hens including the diminutive and lame Bunny. who now has large bald spots on her back and wings
To give Bunny some more respite and TLC , she has been moved into the last one of my broody boxes and has been given a small, quiet run of her own. (above)
Bloody hell. sometimes I feel like a nanny rather than a (small) smallholder!!
I must say that Bunny is one of my favourite hens. She is not a looker, is definitely a runt and can only hop spastically with both skinny wings flapping hysterically. Her knackered hip (damaged two years ago when she and her adolescent flock mates were attacked by a dog see old post) prevents her mobilizing very well, and if she is not careful she bares the brunt of the cockerels who see her as "easy meat".
http://disasterfilm.blogspot.com/2008/10/ewan-saves-day.html
Broody hens and now ducks seem to be everywhere. Lilly, the buff has now parked herself on any egg she can find and in one of the rabbit hutches two of the runner ducks have collectively started their broody sittings!
Kate Winslet has been fed with corn, cat food (good for a sitting hen) and pasta and has been set up on some more eggs within the safety of a new crow proof run and I have surrounded Blanche's broody box with chicken wire.
I have also set up another enclosure in which to house Jesus. His sexual advances has somewhat knackered many of the hens including the diminutive and lame Bunny. who now has large bald spots on her back and wings
To give Bunny some more respite and TLC , she has been moved into the last one of my broody boxes and has been given a small, quiet run of her own. (above)Bloody hell. sometimes I feel like a nanny rather than a (small) smallholder!!
I must say that Bunny is one of my favourite hens. She is not a looker, is definitely a runt and can only hop spastically with both skinny wings flapping hysterically. Her knackered hip (damaged two years ago when she and her adolescent flock mates were attacked by a dog see old post) prevents her mobilizing very well, and if she is not careful she bares the brunt of the cockerels who see her as "easy meat".
http://disasterfilm.blogspot.com/2008/10/ewan-saves-day.html
nanny? No, you are the mighty keeper of the flock.
ReplyDeleteBut I know what you mean.
And, it sounds like everyone is settled now. For today, anyway.:)
I noticed you finally had a warm up, everyone has been so cool.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you will have babies everywhere next month. Any chance of slipping some (bartered)goose eggs under a hen or two?
Bunny..... ok, I will bite.... what ever possessed you to call her Bunny? Has to be a story behind that! Nice that she has a run of her own to heal.
You seem to have your "ducks in a row" for today, time for you to catch some rest!
bunny (hops) due to her broken hip!!!
ReplyDeletesimple!!!
Nanny! I got that! But of all the pests, I have to watch out for neighbor's dogs the most! I got Dana. She's a hobbler because of an enlarged foot. Don't know what's wrong. She was like that when we got her. She's okay, but she's never laid. All good. She's a pet, anyway. Small time farming is a bitch, but I don't think it could be more fun. I love me birds.
ReplyDelete~Randy
okay, I get it! John, sometimes, I am a tad "slow".
ReplyDeleteI constintly feel like a nanny playing musical runs and houses so everyone is happy, problem is there is always one who isn't. At the momment jim morrison the silkie's lady isabel a teeny tiny bantam is getting out of their run to shack up with sawyer the welsummer and his trio of Indian game hens, poor jim. I need to find him some adoring silkie girls.
ReplyDeleteOh its all good fun.
xx
I'm taking a gander at the photos of dogs on your sidebar. Are they scotties? I have a scottie named Socks who should have been named Ernest for Ernest Borgnine. He reminds me every day of him.
ReplyDeleteWe do not have a rooster, I am starting to think I am doing my girls a injustice...
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize chickens were so active :O)...Though it makes sense, lordy knows Ducks and Goats both are!
I certainly would not be happy if I were a chicken with no rooster ...
Yes, I should get them a rooster!