Chickens New Year.

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On the third day of Christmas...

...three French Hens.

Ok, they might not be French...

                                                  

...but these are!

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Merry Christmas x

Wishing all my blogging friends and their animal friends,  a very Merry Christmas

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Three Days Before Christmas!

Brick decided this was the optimum time to require veterinary treatment...THREE days!  I don't expect there's a lot of poultry heading in the direction of the vets for remedial treatment three days before Christmas.

Pippin was most obliging in lending Brick his basket to go to the vets...
...I suspect fowl play.

Brick had sounded like an old squeezebox the day before and I suspected a respiratory infection.  Typically, it was nowhere near as bad this morning but with the vets closed for a few days over Christmas, I wasn't going to risk it.

We were going to drop by the open surgery in the morning but one hour before we were due to set off, Brick decided it was egg laying time.  Two hours later, when she finally emerged, it was too late to go and so a proper, official appointment had to be made.  Our appointment was for 2.50pm.


At 2.30pm Brick decided it was time for a dust bath.  At 2.35pm I was chasing her round the garden.  At 2.40pm we were all in the car.


As always, Brick's name caused confusion.  On the phone to the vet, there was a pause and I was asked to repeat, and spell said name.  At the vets the veterinary nurse just eyed me over a pair of glasses.


Once in, the usual checks took place; the temperature-taking was less fraught than it has been in the past.  I guess once you've laid a few eggs, a thermometer is a walk in the park.


Any way, two injections and thirty pounds lighter, we're on our way home and somewhat amused by the lady in the waiting room who asked if my cat was ok because it didn't sound very well at all... 

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The 9th of December 2011.

The day my chickens FINALLY laid their first egg!!!!!!!!!

Well, actually one of my chickens.  Brick, my Pekin x Silkie, the youngest of my hens...the other two are a pair of slackers!

Home grown, very fresh, free range eggs get a big thumbs up in our house!

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Apologies for the distinct lack of blogging.

I have been spending all my time searching for George.  He has disappeared from the garden.

I know my summer pursuit of ridding the garden of weeds was not looked upon favourably by my chelonian friend but I didn't think he'd take it to such an extreme.

In all honesty, I am incredibly upset.  I thought he would be with my family into the 22nd Century and that in itself is really quite an odd thing to consider.

We have spent a lot of time searching the surrounding gardens.  I had thought our garden escape proof and it had been for the last three years.  I have doubts that the small gap I did find, behind the drainpipe from the conservatory, was big enough for his not inconsiderable shelled frame but it is the only one there is.

Posters have been stuck in local and not so local shops.  Petshops, vets, rehoming centres, UK Tortoise Missing have all been rang.  Notices have been posted on various tortoise-related parts of the internet. 

All my effort has not totally been in vain.  It had been suggested to me, by more than one person, that it is quite possible that George has dug down into the soil to hibernate.  I am very much hoping this is true and that in March, I'll be happily able to report that he has re-appeared at the back door requesting strawberries.

The chickens are indifferent to the loss of their garden companion, he did use to chase them and made for a few ruffled feathers.  The rabbit on the other hand, was more sympathetic and sat patiently while I told him the news and stroked his ears.

I am hoping the spring will herald the return of our moving stone.

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World Egg Day!

Today is World Egg Day.


I thought maybe, possibly, hopefully my chickens might help celebrate this day with their first egg.


But no.


Not a chance.


It ain't happening.

Non-egg laying sit-in protest

I do believe I own the rare and elusive non-egg laying chickens.

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Happy World Egg Day to everyone, especially those whose chickens do actually lay eggs!