From Small beginnings...

Hello, I have returned.. Sorry Ive been away for so long, its been a hectic few months and lots of ups and downs... what an awful lot I have learnt over the past year... from a broody hen in May to 4 chicks and months of wondering and worrying whether I have cockerels or hens...


as it turned out I was very lucky indeed with one cockerel and 3 hens...


Archie the red cockerel grew into a beautiful lad, as he reached 6 months his crowing and amorous advances towards the girls became too much... and a new home had to be found... it wasn't easy either... a friend of mine asked the farmer where she kept her horses if he'd like a cockerel... he said yes and Archie was transported over to the his new home and a rather large flock of girls... I thought he'd be happy.... however I didn't realise that the farmer (who I thought would have more sense!) already had 2 cockerels and they were not separated.... it was his opinion that they would sort it out between them... and they did... I can only assume Archie lost... as all I was told was that he had "disappeared" ... no more of my birds will be heading there... naive of me to not check it out first really... and I was very sad and guilt ridden at the end I forced upon him...
On the day he left I received a letter from the council about him.... a neighbour had lodged a complaint... if they'd only bothered to ask me I would have told them that I had no intention of keeping a cockerel... the noise drove me insane!


The girls inspecting their porrige! ;D

I have noticed that since Archie left the garden birds have returned... bird feeders were untouched by the garden birds when he was about crowing his importance and now he has gone there are blackbirds, finches, robins and all manner of garden visitors... I had never considered that a cockerel stating his claim to his patch of the world would keep all types of feathered friends away...


Sun Rise from my back door step... love my back door sunrises... you'll probably see a fair few more of these.. ;D
The three black rocks are all laying well... Amber has had her first molt the end of last year so she's currently not laying... so I get eggs most days ... sometimes four ... sometimes just the one ... but something is better than nothing...


Hettie, died shortly after Archie left... she had stopped laying earlier in the year and eventually became frail and passed in her sleep... she's buried in the flower border and the stone is on her grave... the rusty metal rooster watches over her... and the girls enjoyed a handful of corn in her memory...


Before Christmas I found myself with a glut of eggs that I had let mound up... after float testing them I decided they'd be perfect for pickling so a huge jar was dug out and the egg boiling commenced...


Only 2 left so I am waiting for a dozen to get just past a week old and I shall start boiling some more... older eggs shell easier than fresh eggs when they are hard boiled..

The girls have been enjoying cabbage, sprout stalks and the leafy tops... cauliflower and tinned sweetcorn is by far their most favourite treat... I am of the thinking that the eggs will be all the better for the variety in treats! lol

well I had better get on... always loads to do...
take care and i'll be back soon
x Alex

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19 weeks old and looking good...

What a beautiful end to September and some glorious days to lead us into October... It's given me a chance to clear up the garden a little and I've had a sprinkling of hen help... With Archie over seeing the work...


I've pruned the apple and plum tree... They sustained some damage with the high winds and bad summer weather that we had...


This is Abby... She's very gothic in her all black plumage... Hence the name... (NCIS)


The older girls are getting on better with the youngsters ... Although there's still a little harassment when they go into the coop...


I'm sure they'll all get sorted soon... However I think Archie will have to be re-homed... he's started crowing each morning ... Not at silly o' clock or anything but the neighbours will not be enjoying it... And it makes me cringe in anticipation of grief that might be coming.... I do quite like his crow though...


I don't handle my hens very often... To be honest I'm not keen on flappy things ... Mad to keep chicken then ... I'm definitely mad! But Archie hasn't tried to attack me or be aggressive towards me... He's definitely not fearful of me... He practically stands on my boots when he walks past me.. Lol

It will be a shame to see him go... But I dare say we'll hatch some more in April or May...

Better get on... Need to do something with the apples I collected from around the garden yesterday...

Take care
Alex
X


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4 months since the chicks hatched...

All the usual goings on here at chicken central... the youngsters are growing well and are sleeping in with the older 3... there has been some feather loss black and ginger one below only has one long tail feather left, but I am hopeful they are regrowing. Sir Archibald hasn't really started crowing in a nuisance kinda way, he's tried a few kazoo like warbling's and the only time he crowed good and proper was when the older girls were in a different coop...


I think the older hens make him feel less superior... however as he grows into a fabulously beautiful young man that might all change... he is a stunning bird though, currently not aggressive or flighty...


this little fella hopped out from under a water trough... luckily I managed to get him hidden away under the hedge before the girls spotted him...


and my 2 apple trees are ripening up well...


I'm not sure if these girls will start laying this year... they are 17 and a half weeks old and everyone (young and old!) is eating layers and growers pellets... they don't seem to bothered what they eat... lol

I must buy some more dried meal worms, they do love them!

Hopefully the sunny weather will continue for a little longer... its breezy and a little chillier in the evenings but beautiful during the day... makes up for the lack of good weather during the summer...

I have loads of chores to do before the bad weather arrives... wood pile to clear and stack out of the way and winter quarters to be set up for the coops... somewhere with added shelter and gravel flooring... hopefully the weather will hold till I get it all sorted..

take care
Alex x

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Almost mingling...

The youngsters are keeping to themselves, but also trying to integrate with the others a little ... but its only been 5 days...


However I think I can safely say that I have 2 boys...


The girls are in the middle... their tail feathers kind of give the game away! lol


My poor border had been neglected as we have been working on a new bathroom.. so I spent the weekend clearing weeds and once I had finished the girls and boys inspected it and found any bugs that I might have missed..


Luckily they didn't catch this one though...


Amber.... always ready to take a pose and show me her best side!

I have a treat for them today... corn on the cob... that should be entertaining!

xx Alex

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Young and old ...

Every now and again one of the youngsters takes it upon themselves to fly over the 4 ft fence ... On Friday evening I decided that it was time to remove the fence ..


We were all a little apprehensive!


However, the youngsters took a little wander across the boundary un hindered ...


Only due to the big girls pigging out on growers pellets ...


The red rooster did mess me about and go up on the cube run to roost, but I eventually got him down and into his own coop...
The next morning I let them all out together for the day... And left them to it..
By the afternoon they were trying to meet the grown ups ... Lol ... It's surprising how a little gardening can calm everyone's nerves... Lol


Self seeded sunflower from the bird feeder seeds...



And the fun and games begin at bedtime....



However I headed in to prepare the veggies for tea...


I'll sort out the daft rooster later... Lol

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Prepping for Christmas

Well it's only 5 months away and I'm on a mission to make all gifts this year be it edible, crocheted or sewn ....


I have a Victoria plum tree fit to bust ... I've posted a Delia recipe for plum ketchup on my other blog ... Pink feather paradise ... I've ordered a preserving pan that will work on my induction hob and bottles and ingredients from the jam jar shop... By the time they arrive the plums should be ready ...

I have 2 apple trees that are crammed full of fruit so something apple based will have to be tracked down too...

As we only have 2 girls laying ( Hettie's been a little under the weather, she did lay an egg yesterday... So hopefully she's on the mend!) but I have accumulated a dozen eggs that I am letting age a little so that I can pickle them...
I have been searching the net for a recipe that looks right and thanks to the accidental smallholder

(http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/articles/recipes/pickledeggs/)

I have found what I'm looking for ...

It a fab site and this is the recipe that I will kinda follow ! ;D
Looks like I'll be making home made hampers for Christmas present this year ... Plum ketchup, sloe gin, pickled eggs, wholegrain beer mustard and homemade cheesy biscuits ... I think family and friends will appreciate a gift made with love... Xx



Pickled eggs are easy to produce and taste fabulous - a great accompaniment to salads, cold meat, and fish and chips, or slice for a roll or sandwich.

Ingredients

Eggs (not too fresh)
Vinegar (see below for details)
Blackpeppercorns
Flaked chillies (optional)
Instructions

Hard boil the eggs in plenty of water - boil for at least 10 minutes to ensure they are completely set. While the eggs are boiling prepare your jars by washing them in very hot water and rinsing well. Check the rubber seals on the jars for signs of wear - if they aren't in good order get some new ones.
Meanwhile prepare the vinegar - you can use any vinegar but the flavour of your finished eggs will reflect the type of vinegar you use. Standard malt vinegar will be harsher than clear vinegar, while white wine or cider vinegar will give a more rounded flavour. Experiment to find what suits your taste and by all means mix vinegars.

You'll need about 1 litre of vinegar for each dozen eggs. Put it in a saucepan with a sprinkling or peppercorns and chillies if desired, bring to the boil and simmer for a minute or two.
Once the eggs are cooked cover them in cold water and leave to cool. Once cool shell and pack into your jars. Some people like to add whole chillies at this stage - if you prefer a bit of a bite then do likewise.
Sieve the vinegar and pour into the jars covering the eggs completely. Seal the jars well, and store for at least a month before eating. In a cool, dark place they will store well for over 6 months.



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Eglu Cube cleaning

As I sat looking at the fennel which seems to have self seeded itself I wondered how much longer a hen can take to lay an egg... it seemed like she had been in there for ages... the chicks had investigated my feet... waited for a meal worm treat then got bored and wandered off when nothing was forthcoming...


So I took a wander to the end of our long narrow garden, flanked on either side by 6ft hedges and surrounded by neighbours gardens...


I placed the spare roosting bars that I had already cleaned up against the run and pondered if she were almost done.... or whether she had just gone to sleep ... or god forbid she was going broody.... I investigated and she was not impressed! lol
So I removed the poop trays and set about cleaning them while she strutted up and down the garden proclaiming to all who would listen about the indignity of being disturbed while doing such an important job... she eventually returned to the coop and peace and quiet returned....


THe poop drawers just need the loose poo hosed off and then I spray them with a coop cleaner and give them a good scrub... takes about 10 minutes... including a period of time that I leave the solution on to kill any bugs...


after this I returned to the house to do some washing up and boring stuff... this I did not photograph... for obvious reasons... lol


eventually .... I returned to the cube and after sliding the roof forward and unbolting the back panel and removing it then un-slotting the partition between the nest area and roosting area I hosed it out to remove any debris.... then it was liberally sprayed with coop mix that also kills red mite...(better to be safe than sorry! ;D) then I hose this out to remove any chemical residue....


Usually I leave the coop to dry naturally... but as it was getting late in the day and the heat of the hazy sun had passed I quickly mopped up any remaining water with kitchen towel and set about rebuilding the coop...


The partition slotted back in...


the drawers replaced...


as I am using a bedding matterial that is finer than straw I have added a piece of rubber to stop it from falling down the drainage slot....


filled with bedding....


and the excess I sprinkled in the drawers... should make it easier to tip on the compost heap .... the drawers I pull out and empty each day... I use to line them with newspaper but I ended up with poopy paper that was tricky to compost as it really needs to be shredded to compost down quickly....


Roosting bars dropped back into place....


end panel slotted back on....


and bolted in...


roof slid back and bolted into place....


these are the dirty roosting bars that I will take back up and give a good scrub and then they'll be ready for next weeks clean...


This is Hettie... who's always in a flap about something... she's top chicken and enjoys pretending to be a cockerel.... I think she's a Speckledy... she's not laying properly at the moment... she was quite poorly a couple of months back after laying a huge double yolker... I found a pink fleshy sausage shaped lump in the run of the coop and after a bit of a panic and internet searching I found talk of a think called a LASH... this is where the lining of the reproductive system is expelled... although I have seen on explanation on Back Yard Chickens saying that it is a tape worm...
However, she is fine in herself... she did lay two eggs that had strange wobbly shells.... however she has now started laying soft shelled eggs... they have grit and oyster shell but I will be buying some poultry spice the next time I am at the farm shop.

Daisy Kate is my favorite girl... she had a good molt after hatching out the chicks and now she looks stunning in her bright white plumage... after the weeks of quite close contact, during her brooding, she is much less skittish and will wander around my feet... whereas before she would always keep away from me... I think she's a Sussex... however I'm not sure what the difference is between a Sussex Star and a Sussex... however she lays an egg every day without fail and last winter she laid eggs all the way through... she's amazing...


This is Amber.... she started laying in February and I think she must have seen her reflection in a puddle as she really is full of herself! lol
Noisy, opinionated and an eating machine... give her the option of layers pellets or corn ... she'll scroff corn! ;D
She's a Barnvelder and lays almost every day... sh's bigger than the other two... and waddles like a cowboy thats been on his horse for far too long! lol
While Daisy was away raising her chicks she stepped into number 2 of the pecking order and on Daisy's return to the coop bullied her mercilessly... hence the reason that I am holding off on the integration of the chicks....


The red one is the Cockerel... he's started flapping his wings and making kazoo type crows... so funny... he looks shocked afterwards as if to say "where did that come from?" the other 3 I am pretty sure are girls...
these were hatched from eggs from a flock of Black Rocks, which I later found out do not tend to breed true.... however they are beautiful... and all the black ones are slightly different... which is perfect... I'm still trying to think of names.... especially for the rooster...


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