Busy hens and a dead chick - The Accidental Smallholder

Posted: Thursday 16 October, 2008

by Rosemary at 8:36pm in Poultry 2 comments Comments closed

I'm on holiday this week so I've been taking advantage of the good weather today to do some weeding. We had a border made along the pig pen fence this year - I love the pigs but I don't necessarily want to look at them ALL the time. We're going to plant a hedge of Scotch roses; the plants should be with us early November. I picked them because a) they are the right height, b) they have scented flowers and c) they have black hips; the latter two should make them quite wildlife friendly. They are also quite prickly, which (hopefully) will deter the pigs from messing with the hedge (it's on our side of the fence not theirs). I'm hoping that it will be well established before the next batch of pigs arrives in Spring.

Anyway, the hens have been helping me today. They are such keen gardeners! We had a good system going; I dug out the grassy clumps and turned them over; the hens then scratched about in the clumps, thus breaking off most of the soil; I then removed the remaining grass clumps (to the pig pen, I must confess). It was most satisfactory for both parties, I think.

I released the Cream Legbars today; Chip promptly abandoned his girls and went to bed with the Black Rocks! I've put him back in the proper ark tonight, but I suspect it will be the same tomorrow. I think he's a bit odd - maybe the first few days living with a felt mouse has taken its toll on him.

Unfortunately, we lost Cheeky Chick, our Cuckoo Maran. I found him / her dead in the ark. S/he had been fine in the morning and was dead at lunchtime. I feel quite sad about it.

The fourteen young Black Rocks, now 51/2 weeks old, are doing well. I started giving them some cabbage leaves every day, starting about a week or so ago. I tie them up at head height and they love them ( after the first day, when they were scared to go past them!). Today, they got a new treat - a corn cob! I was clearing out the bed and there were a few left, so I thought the cheeps might like them. And do they! After the initial suspicion, they got tore right in. It's a good "toy" for them, because it swings around, so it takes them a while to get through it. They're off the lamp during the day now but have it on at night. I hope to get them out and off the lamp in about three weeks.

The Marans have started to lay! Not many yet, but the eggs are just beautiful!