Friday 11th May 2008 : First Deliveries

Chilli (pepperpot) and Gypsy (oldest gingernut) both delivered their first eggs this week, Chilli winning by one day. The eggs are quite small (44 grammes) but otherwise perfect.
Both have now "found" the egg laying compartment and appear happy to leave the eggs there each day. Both appear to lay just before lunchtime.

We've also had a series of escapes this last week. It seems they have found out that they can JUST make it fluttering and jumping up onto the roof of the CUBE but the favourite seems to be going under the wire. They show no signs of wandering off, just pottering around the garden until caught and returned to the relative safety of the pen area.

All of them are now very friendly, coming over as soon as a human appears. I think this is largely due to the number of treats they get in the shape of corn on the cob, apples and raisins but it makes it easier to herd them when they escape.

One of our cats (Pickles) has made friends too and somehow got inside the pen the other day. He was not bothered by the chickens, nor they by him. He had a good look round the CUBE PEN and a wander around the larger outdoor fenced off area before realising he had forgoten how he got IN and therefore needed help getting OUT.

Sunday 6th April 2008 : It Snows

Well today we woke up to find it had snowed (heavily for this part of the country).

About 3-4 inches had settled on and around the CUBE.
So, wearing my dressing gown and some very fetching green wellies I slipped and slid out to ensure the chickens were OK. I opened the gate to the PEN so they could use the bigger fenced area but they sat there clucking irritatedly me at me as if it was my fault that funny white stuff was falling from the sky.
I spent a few seconds crouched making sure they were OK and then the combination of the cold draught UP my dressing gown and the snow going DOWN my neck forced me back indoors. What a wimp :-)

Eventually the snow stopped and we all ventured outside so the kids could make best use of this so rare opportunity to build a snow man.

I joined in and made a snow chicken :-)

I won't say it was my finest piece of artwork ... but I will say it is not my worst.

The chickens (the real ones that is) did not seem offended or,. in fact, at all interested.

Sadly this artwork has now gone thanks to the warming influence of the sun. This picture is all the remains.

Such is the life of an artist :-)