Pay Off Before Lay Off!

Watty1

You've finally put me off keeping chickens. I am so not an early mornings girl at the moment

WhiteSnowdrop

The chicken induced early mornings sound very hard. Hats off to you, if one of my lo's gets up at 4am I pull them into my bed because I'm so tired - maybe not an option with chickens tho?

Alchemilla

Well done for staying off the booze. X

Habibiboo

tootallulah wrote: »

Morning HBBBO, nipping in for a catch up. The hen situation is a revelation to me I had no idea they were so combative - is it worse in the light mornings? (excuse ignorance). The students sound great I am mulling over having a post doc lodger for next year just whilst I am working close to home it would really help with payments. You are so close to the magical 50% LTV...............champagne all round?

:wave:

Hi Toots!

They're only being combative because the lairy pair were already established and my new little trio have got to merge into the flock. I must admit it is a bit more ferocious than I thought but I have it on good authority that the pecking order should be established within 2 weeks, then everything should settle.

Yes, the light mornings do make it worse because lairy pair will just about tolerate being up close and personal through the night for sleeping purposes but once a new day dawns they want to rule the roost! So it's a case of getting up and letting them all out before any harm's done. Bessie likes to lay early so I actually just let lairy pair into the big run and let the other girls have the wandering area (which means two separate servings of breakfast), so that everyone gets the chance for a relaxed breakfast and I get to go back to bed for an hour without worrying about one of the little ones getting hurt - lairy pair do seem particularly ferocious in the mornings!

These are language students and they're fine, I'd totally recommend it. Not sure about a lodger though, it would really have to be the right person if it's more of a long-term thing.
Still waiting to hear back about the interest reduction but very happy about the prospect ... more than happy to send virtual bubbles your way Toots! :beer:

Habibiboo

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS wrote: »

Morning Habibiboo, glad to hear the students are a good crowd. How many do you have and for how long?

Lemon and ginger tea sounds good.

Hope the chickens are settling as the early morning must be difficult. Do you have any idea, from experience, how long they will take to settle in?

Have a lovely Thursday

Tilly x x

:wave:

Thanks Tilly, two 15 year old lads from Italy. They're really nice, good humoured, you can tease them and they're cheeky enough to tease back now they know us a little better! They love the dogs, are finally starting to use the bathroom and always ask before helping themselves to anything! Shame they leave next Tuesday because I'd happily keep these two for the summer. The next ones arrive on the Wednesday, for three weeks.

Harpiness in the hen house might take up to two weeks then hopefull will settle, fingers crossed! I think it will take a bit longer than that before I trust Bessie and May to behave when cooped up overnight though, so I think the early mornings will be around for a bit ... or at least for me until the girls' getting up time co-incides with Mr. Hbbb's (6.09 am), then I will pass on the honour! :rotfl:

Hope you're good, not too much running about in this heat, spinning and such! x

Habibiboo

Watty1 wrote: »

You've finally put me off keeping chickens. I am so not an early mornings girl at the moment

Nooo, it's fine Watty, don't let it put you off. It's only because we're merging two flocks, when you start off you'll have bought all your hens at the same time and they'll just tick along nicely and you can crawl up to the henhouse at your usual getting up time (or black out their coop windows)!

WhiteSnowdrop wrote: »

The chicken induced early mornings sound very hard. Hats off to you, if one of my lo's gets up at 4am I pull them into my bed because I'm so tired - maybe not an option with chickens tho?

I know that feeling W*S ... have to say these new girls are such sweeties that cuddles have crossed my mind! I do think Mr. Hbbb might have something to say about it though! Our version of a cuddle is that they all clamour round my legs and stand on my feet when I'm up with them (they clearly don't know how clumsy I am or they'd know the risk)!
I'm now missing that feeling of a LO to just pull into the big bed for a hug ... my baby is 25 tomorrow! :eek:

Alchemilla wrote: »

Well done for staying off the booze. X

Thanks A, will have one tomorrow for the boy's birthday though, am trying to have just a Friday night drink nowadays, so's not to exacerbate health but so that I can live a little!

You're doing magnificently though! :T

Habibiboo

:wave:
And so to today ...

MFW actions:
* NSD and ... drum roll please ...
* Uni money finally arrived (some at least), so with this and other client money I've today made a MOP of £1,250!
Haven't heard back from bank yet about reduction (yesterday's post) so will phone them tomorrow if still no message.

Little old spreadsheet and account shuffle later and the SMASH is looking, well ... smashing:

SMASH day 33 / 100 = £ 1,850 / £ 3,000 :T

Grey Clouds:
You're either going to laugh yourself silly over this or just not believe it ... so the student money was supposed to be paid into the bank today, right? Go on, bet you can't guess the rest ...!

Silver Lining:
Smallest bobbin has a birthday tomorrow and we are off out for small family dinner at cheap but very cheerful (and tasty) chinese for a treat!

Daily declutter:
Odd bits of paper mainly, nothing major that can really be added to the total. Will try for 15 in 15 in garage over weekend! Total still standing at 245 / 365. Must update this on signature!

Simple pleasures:
* The spreadsheet money shuffle.
* Fresh eggs from newly settling ladies.
* Gladys has been a bit naughty today ... she's almost morph-like, you know like the Terminator 2 baddie, about getting out and around things. She's managed to escape the chicken end of the garden 17 times today but it's been delightful watching her bobbing on the lawn with the grass under her toes and popping her head up in the herb garden. Of course it's been a hot day so back door was open, I was working away at computer with a dog at my feet and the next thing we know, she's investigating Seamus's dinner!

Had to draw a line under those antics ~ the dogs are excellent with her but it's got to be a pretty daft chicken who stands next to the dog's feeding bowl :rotfl:
Mr. Hbbb has helped me secure all possible escape areas now, so she's had a gentle day of complete freedom away from lairy pair but will have to get back to normal tomorrow.
I'll leave you with her foray in the herb garden, what Mr. Hbbb calls a self-seasoning chicken ...

Enjoy your Friday everyone!

Beckyy

Hahaha, fantastic pictures!

We also have naughty hens, I'm sure they spend their evenings planning real life Chicken Run style escapes

gallygirl

I want hens now

Em, Tilly, why exactly are you asking how long they take to settle down :whistle:?

And how is Edna Giraffe ?

apple_muncher

Yay to uni!

Boo to student money people!