Update

Sylvia and Irene....I have them eating from my hand

In response to Beatrice F, who wanted an update on the Ukrainian Village population, I snapped a few photos for her this cold and muggy morning. The village population has now plateaued at a healthy 73 souls. The refugee hens that arrived on mass from Llanasa in the autumn have now been transformed from slightly sad and untidy birds into sleek free range ladies. You can tell that they are doing fine as the winter egg production remains fairly high.

The four geese are healthy and the ducks ( including the last three hysterical runners) have bonded into a robust little flock of eight birds....I will need to separate two drakes in the spring. when sex rears it's ugly head, but for now things are calm and peaceful.

Cogburn, the blind cockerel has shed his feathers and has suddenly gone all red and gold. He looks fantastic now and has recovered from a cowardly attack by the field cockerels who sneaked into his run when I was cleaning it out. The other waifs and strays ( the two ancient hens I took in last month and Mary the disabled rabbit) are all doing well in their own little runs and houses. There are now 17 little green " buildings" in "Anatevka"

Bingley, the turkey, is now the real patriarch of the field and in the spring will be joined by a couple of females ( a promise from a friend). His slightly aggressive behaviour towards the geese has now settled down.

It was too cold for the dogs this morning,

I found them all hidden away like this after their early morning wee walk

I am waiting for something to go wrong....everyone seems far too healthy and happy

Hey ho