Bloody chickens!!!!!!

            Well who’d have thought that chickens can cause so much grumpiness? All I’ve heard about them is how relaxing they are; oh what fun they are and how they make you smile. Well if any of you had uttered words like than into my lug holes last night no doubt you would have been offended and taken aback somewhat at the tart and high in Anglo Saxon reply!

            Now regular readers (up to 4 now I’ve been reliable informed) will be aware that fifty per cent of my recently obtained flock of Bantams (that’ll be Penny the dumpy one then) had come over all broody. After seeking advice from my chicken guru friend, John the answerable for this git, he provided me with 6 fertilized eggs of various shapes and sizes with the confident words “you’ll hopefully get three out of the six hatching”. Mmmm I’ll remember those words for a long time me thinks. Little Penny had been doing sterling work of sitting upon her adopted clutch, turning them regularly, pecking the hell out my fingers as I encouraged her to the feed and water and generally being a good egg. By my calculations if we were going to have any hatchlings they would have been tonight or Wednesday morning which left me today to sort out some temporary accommodation if it was to be required.

            So image my face last night when, after a gruelling 12 hour shift in the shit hole I mean the grind I come home to something a little ahead of schedule. I walk into the house to greeted by the smell of tea just about to dished (funny enough it was chicken!), as I poured myself a glass of erm ‘apple fruit juice’ Clare mentioned that she didn’t think Penny had been down for a drink and to relieve her bowels so could I do the honours while she finished getting tea onto the table. So, glass in hand, I wandered to the coup where there was no sign in the run of either bantams. Opening up the coup I was faced with what looked like Cruella trying to get in Penny’s nest box. After shooing her away I lifted Penny to bring her to the water and feed when from under her wing drops and fluffy little thing indignantly peeping at me, a quick count showed that three eggs had hatched. Never was to good at the adding up thingy stuff at school me. Calling Clare and watching Penny shuffle back on the nest it seemed that Cruella did indeed have an unhealthy interest in what was going on, of course it was me probably over reacting but as soon as Clare arrived I knew that a peaceful evening for me was now doomed.

            Three bloody hours later the extension to Poultry towers was repositioned and modified as a second, separate run. By now the chickens were quiet and roosting/nesting so I decided to organise a mini coup for Penny and her new brood this morning. I must say at this point that dragging Willow around the dark and dismal streets of Buckley whilst all me muscles protested and my mind wash awash with what I need to do the ensure tomorrow went well and to Clare’s high standards did not make for a happy bunny, curse the chickens and John for his eggs, curse them all.

            So this morning I’m up early, really early (remember folks I’ve got a twelve hour night shift to enjoy tonight) hoping to fabricate a coup for the new enclosure. So gathering me wits I did some measuring and set forth trying to find enough timber from my meagre store – it wasn’t going well. Glancing at the clock I realised that the supply store would be open so I changed tack and headed off into the morning sun intent on chick crumb and another water container. Then god smiled on me, patted me on the head and said “good boy John”, for there in a forgotten corner was a small ‘brood box’ on special, well still not cheap but hey hoe that box was going to save me so much grief.

Chicken village expands

Looks like a Penguin chick to me!

            So here we are now at the present moment: chicken run completed, new coup installed (I wonder if I should tell Clare that I made it?), chick crumb and water installed and one broody mother and her six, yes that’s right all six hatched, gorgeous fluffy chicks are in residence. This leaves me extremely knackered, but very content to be honest, and thinking of grabbing a nap before work tonight.

            So all that’s left to say is a heart felt thank you to John Grey for all his help and advice, the man is a rock and a joy to know. It’s people like John who make this world bearable and who restore a man’s faith in human nature.

           

So I’ll leave you with my best wishes and until the next time from Chicken Village, take good care of your selves, 

Your friend, John