Chickens


Goodbye Anneka 1

Today has been a bit pants to be honest, a nice lie in and cooked brunch turned bad when at lunchtime I went in to the back garden. One of the chickens, Anneka, has been ill and injuried for a while. She’s had treatment at a vet and medication, I was checking her scars daily. Giving her a full wash down with the hose on warm days, or a sponge bath on cooler days. Today was sunny. I hosed her down and was about to towel dry her. But she looked to be in pain, I checked the deep scar on her back. It appeared to have been healing the last few days but nope, it popped as I washed her, it was actually a deep abscess. She closed her eyes and shook in pain. I tried to get her attention with her favourite food, but it was pointless. She […]


Red mites – a poultry nightmare 6

Last week Freya Woof attacked Tikka. I was in the front garden with her on a lead as I was gardening. Freya saw a cat and broke our front door as she ran at it so fast her lead bent the door past the right-angle its set to open up at. Anyway in that split second I put her in the front hallway and shut door for that cats sake. I immediately realise the back door is unlocked. Too late, Freya is hunting chickens. I run outside shouting at the dog to stop it, let go, drop. Anything. Nothing worked. Tikka was hanging out of Freya’s mouth, teeth wedged around her, I shout gentle at Freya as I pull Tikka towards me. Freya didn’t let go easily, and I thought Tikka was toast. Both kids came outside whilst this was going on. D was angry I had made a mistake […]


The chicks #MySundayPhoto 7

My hens aren’t best pleased with this heat. Tikka (the ginger one) is soaking wet as I gave her a hopepipe shower to clean and cool her off. Anneka (the dark brown one) had a little hose down, but I couldn’t catch up with Edwina (the grey and white striped one) to clean her. Linking up to the #MySundayPhoto  linky.


Welcome to Anneka and Edwina 7

Tikka the chicken was struggling and lonely since Freya Woof “got” poor Fajita. So yesterday we drove a few miles into the countryside to a farm to get a few more chickens. That was the plan, a few small, cheap chickens. The hens the boys chose were not cheap. I should have said “No way” at the prices, but the boys had decided and I didn’t have the heart to refuse. £35 each!! Ah well, it’s done now.


Goodbye Fajita 3

Today Freya Woof learnt to open the back door handle. Today she did this as I was in the garden feeding our chickens. She got Fajita, and I got to them so fast. I screamed at Freya and lifted my hand (a warning not being mean), she loosened her grip, but didn’t let go. I snatched my poor hen. Freya had her only by feathers at this point, so I inadvertently plucked a few more feathers from Fajita. Both our chickens ran for the house for safety and I got Freya’s collar and walked her to her crate for “time out”. I have kept them separate until this scuffle, and Freya is never allowed in the back garden.


Gardening ideas 4

After having chickens for a few months I have no lawn left, and what was my veggie bed is a muddy puddle! It’s clear veggies aren’t an option this growing season, all edible things are munched, so I need sturdy stubborn plants, the kind that re grow each year. On the left there, that was my veg bed, and on the right was a lawn! Thanks chickens. I was looking for fruit trees, and just bought some from GardeningExpress website, via groupon as there was a good deal. Five fruit trees, normally £100 was £30 plus £7 postage. I know you can get supermarket trees at certain times of the year, they buy them in and put near the fruit shelves, and there is a reason they are cheap. These are often not self pollinating types, so whilst one will grow and look healthy you need another close by to […]


Snowy Pet Photos 1

Well it’s snowing outside and it’s currently circling and swirling in the wind. This blizzard that’s predicted might actually happen. Sadly the boys school was one of just two primary schools that didn’t close. Just waiting for the “please pick children up early” text message now. It’s pretty likely as I noticed several teachers were missing. The boys were disappointed. Anyway, cute animals in the snow photos time! Frozen chickens and a chilly bunny. Cute bunny, he’s put himself in chicken run, he is actually free range today.


Tikka And Fajita Are Pushing Their Luck… 1

The chickens and the less than friendly bunny have had lots of time to get acquainted but only this week have they been allowed free range at the same time. Until now the bunny has been free in the evening and night times, and the chicks have been loose by daylight. They’ve been giving it a bit of attitude through the cage wire. It’s weird that now I’m letting them loose at the same time there have been no major fights and no blood shed whatsoever! If you knew Patch rabbit you would realise this is shocking. 😛 Ignoring the mess that my garden is in I think these photos are pretty cute. Patch rabbit is Letting the girls steal his food. Almost ignoring it. Awww the cute bunny is mellowing in his old age. He’s watching the chickens closely but resisted the urge to run and steal his food […]


Spicy Scotch Eggs

As the owners of chickens sometimes we have more eggs than we can use. Yummy finished item…. When cooking dinner we boiled six eggs and left to cool. When kids were asleep we went back to the kitchen to get cooking. Pop the oven on at 190 centigrade to warm up as you prepare. Firstly you wrap your freshly peeled eggs in sausage meat and this makes giant meatballs. Roll these balls into flour, this will give the meatball a gripy surface. You need to dip and roll the meatball in a single beaten egg. We added chilli seeds to this to give it hidden flavour. Then immediately dump it in a bowl of breadcrumbs. Coat as fast as you can as will only stick to the wet egg. We made breadcrumbs by throwing a few slices of Hovis seedy loaf into a food processer. Lovely perfect crumbs with seeds […]