'Beware Of The Chickens'

'Who?  Us?!  #butterwouldn'tmelt

.....

Good morning!

Now, where's our breakfast?!

.....

We went to a chicken show.

My eldest daughter and I visited the world of chicken shows. There were LOTS of chickens, all different shapes, sizes & colours.

The bantam section.  There we're some lovelies here!

Eldest daughter liked these!

Large fowl dept.  She was VERY large!

A not happy Buff Orpington.

Ducks!

We had a brilliant day out.  It makes you realise just how many different breeds of chickens there actually are, especially when you just have one breed at home.  We spent ages wandering through the show looking into all the pens at the huge amount of birds on show.

And then there was this pen...

...and this happened!

I had no intention of buying another chicken at the show but she was absolutely gorgeous, a show quality (hopefully!) white Pekin hen.  We were completely unprepared and I had go and find a stall selling carrier boxes,food and a water bowl.  Such novices!
We did, however, name her almost immediately.  She is called Bridie.

We're hoping to attend a show with her. She has a bit of growing to do yet, this will give me time to find a low key, novice friendly show and learn about show preparation.  It's all very exciting! :)

.....

Happy Birthday!

It's been just over a year since I started keeping chickens again and also most of my girls are having their first birthday around now.  Happy birthday us :D

.....

Breaking Broodiness!

At last, I have discovered a system to stop my broodies in their tracks!

My secret weapons are these:

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

My plan was to keep the offending hen away from the coop & nest boxes at all costs.  Exhibit A is for daytime, Exhibit B for night time in the house.  Their annoyance at being contained in such a manner ensures broodiness is quite quickly forgotten.  Four days in the anti-broody pens seems to do the trick.

I'm very pleased not to have to suffer four weeks plus of a grumpy nest-hogger! :D

.....

I KNOW you have mealworms in there!

.....

Pearl

The first time I saw Pearl she was huddled in a pet carrier with Lucy.  When we arrived home I popped them both out in a pen away from the rest of the flock for their quarrantine period.


All she did was run around like a loony, squawking.


I wasn't sure about her at first, she was so loud and flighty.  Luckily she calmed down after a day and has turned out to be a lovely, friendly little hen.  I say little as she is the smallest hen I have, small even for a Pekin!  She has a bit of feathering out to do, especially on her feet.  Somehow due to the lack of foot plumage, when she runs she looks like a clockwork toy.  

Pearl is a Silver Partridge Pekin, lighter than the show standard.  She looks like she's been put through the hot wash!

Show standard Silver Partridge Pekin

Pearl standard Silver Partridge Pekin!

We were just getting to know her, as she is very cute, but then THIS happened!

ANOTHER broody hen!  She's only been in lay for three weeks!!!

That's two of them now, it would have been three but Lucy gave up after two days, thank gawd!!!

.....