Monday 24 October 2011

This morning.......


This morning the sun rose slowly over the farm, casting an eerie pink light over everything.



Chicken World seemed strange in this pinkish light, a couple of quiet 'cock a doodle doos' signalled that they were ready to start the day.


As usual I let the four boys out first, they still live in the Eglu as I don't want any fights with top cockerel Caldwell.   They rush to the feeders, with many a minor skirmish as they set themselves up for the day.  'Junior' is head cockerel of this little group and looks exactly like his Dad.


Next I let out all the rest of the chickens, Caldwell and the girl Lavender Pekin Bantams now all live in the big henhouses with the Layers.  This has been done in time for Winter so that they can all enjoy the body heat of the others and keep warmer as the temperatures start dipping at night.



The Hylines rush to check out my boots as usual before I go over to clean out the houses.



Once the papers have been lifted the girls start coming back into the houses to find their place in the nesting boxes.



My reward.



Little Lucy takes her chicks straight to their old Broody house to make sure they get their fill of Chick Crumb, once they have had their breakfast I close the door to it, to protect the food from the big girls.



Then they spend a happy five minutes playing around (see the little film below) .....


... before cuddling up together for a warm in the old crate. 

She is being a brilliant Mum and constantly 'talks' to her babies, and they to her, so they always know they are close.  She rushes to their aid if the big girls turn nasty and always makes sure they have enough food, water and warmth, if for any reason she is seperated from them Caldwell dashes over and stands guard until she returns.  A lovely little family unit.



Now the pinkish tinge has left the farm and the sun is shining brightly,  the wind is blowing coldly from the east but I don't have to worry, today is an indoor job day with hoovering to be done and the carpets to be cleaned......oooh.....lucky me!!

A special message for Fern and Iris.....  do you think you could think of two names for the 2 little chicks they are both 8 weeks old, although one of them is smaller as she hatched out of her egg 3 days later than her sister.  Thank you.

Sue xx

18 comments:

  1. I would love to own chickens but am worried about the coyotes we have around here. Also how cold it gets in winter,

    Gill in Canada

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  2. I really miss my chickens so it was lovely to watch your video. The light did look wonderful. I love the first photo. Thanks for sharing. xxx

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  3. So wonderfully written, Sue!!

    Thanks for all the photos...they brought back so many nice memories of having my own hens and biddies. They were always my favorites to watch. What a beautiful bunch of girls and boys you have! I love your whole set up for them!

    What are the big black things on three wooden legs? Are they feeders? I've not seen those before...where did you get them?

    Keep the photos coming of life on the farm! This old "country girl" loves them!

    Take care, Sue, and stay warm...

    Until later...V

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  4. P.S.
    I loved your video also...I saw your dog, can't remember its name, running back and forth...that would be my dog "Baby" - she can't stand it unless she is heels every minute!

    Vicki

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  5. Yes the large black things are feeders Vicki, we got them from FlytesoFancy -

    http://flytesofancy.co.uk/chickenhouses/Emperor_Poultry_Feeder.html

    We top them up with Layers Pellets at the start of the week and it lasts for ages. (They hold up to 50kg of feed)

    Our dog Sophie is a Border Collie from farm stock so she has a constant need to 'round up' things, hence the running backwards and forwards round and round the chicken enclosure. She was the same when we had the pigs, running round and round their paddock thinking she was keeping them all in order....lol. No wonder she's always tired at night!

    Sue xx

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  6. I love watching chickens, they have such individual characters too. My sheepdog puppy Jake likes to round up the greenhouse and summerhouse, he is wearing a path in a circular run round them lol, love the video :)

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  7. hello sue
    i love your video. i wish i had chickens.
    lovely dog.
    have a nice day,
    regina
    reginassimplelife.blogspot.com

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  8. Yes Dreamer.....we too have 'paths' all around the farm, always circular and always just wide enough for single file, thanks to Sophie.

    Sue xx

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  9. Your posts bring back so many warm, wonderful memories of spending time on my grandparent's farm .... frisky dog and chickens included.

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  10. it really was a pink sunrise this morning wasn't it- quite a strange watery light making everything look very tranquil.
    Raining here now!
    x

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  11. I love your blog loads...I get all of the pleasure and none of the backbreaking work...thank you so much xxxx
    Lynn xxx

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  12. No one need ever know Lynn.....lol !!

    Sue xx

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  13. What a pretty post, I noticed the sky was very pink this morning too, so lovely.
    Twiggy x

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  14. That video is so sweet!! I love their little fluffy 'trousers'!! She's certainly a good mummy! I know what you mean about the eerie pink light - nothing like a winter sunshine to cast it's glow around the place.

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  15. Sue-this is one my favourite posts from you!

    Just love it!

    Sft x

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  16. Nice post, love the little video of the chiccies.
    We had 5 day old silkie chicks last year but just as they started laying,the fox struck and got them all.My youngest was devastated as it was she who found the empty ark and blood spatters. But we have 4 more girls left in a different run and they have been brilliant. Chickens are just so much fun to watch. I can sit and watch them scratching around for ages.

    http://frugalfreesiahandmadeandhomemade.blogspot.com

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  17. Hi sue just caught up with everything..having a cuppa reading you and fern is jumping up and down as she spotted your message before i did...in answer to your question she and iris think daisy for the older chick and poppy for the little one...
    Glad your and your chap are ok..the farm looks amazing...
    sara,fern,iris

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  18. Thank you Fern and Iris, from now on the chicks will be called Daisy and Poppy, I will tell their Mum.

    Sue xx

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