Keeping hens and ducks chat.

edwink

Cheery_Daff said:

Ooh, very glad you have your heating back! 😊😊 Didn't want you to have to get into the chicken coop for warmth!

We nearly did as there is plenty of room in there for the two of us even with Biscuit in her cosy box coop which I forgot to mention now has a thick blanket draped over the top of it for extra warmth. Might have had to borrow one of her cushions though which she might have objected to with her having got used to the cosiness of the three she has 🤣🤣

Edwink x

DigSunPap

Had 4 eggs so far this week! Looking good after a couple of quiet ones.

edwink

DigSunPap said:

Had 4 eggs so far this week! Looking good after a couple of quiet ones.

That's good considering the colder weather.  I've had none as my last old girl is 5 years and 7 months old and stopped laying a while ago. I do miss their very fresh eggs I must admit 😢 When we got our last 24 ex-battery girls we were having lovely omlettes, making quiches, and having my favourite egg and chips.

Edwink x 

sammyjammy

@edwink your Biscuit updates really do cheer me up, she is such a little charter and it actually sounds like she is enjoying the peace and quiet of being a single lady (much as I do LOL) as well of course being very spoilt!  I have some raspberry canes which I would have been happy to share with her.

Glad the heating is fixed, fourth named storm of the season due later this week!

edwink

sammyjammy said:

@edwink your Biscuit updates really do cheer me up, she is such a little charter and it actually sounds like she is enjoying the peace and quiet of being a single lady (much as I do LOL) as well of course being very spoilt!  I have some raspberry canes which I would have been happy to share with her.

Glad the heating is fixed, fourth named storm of the season due later this week!

Aww, thank you so much. I'm so pleased I am not just waffling on to myself on the hen thread and have others following Biscuit's happy journey.

You know I think you are right in that she is enjoying the peace and quiet of being a single lady. I was out with her this morning and she was chirping away. but. I have no idea what she was going on about. I think it is the same for her with me chatting to her, to be honest. Mr Edwink always has a giggle with me chatting to her because when I stop talking she still chirps and then I answer her with something like, yes it is cold today but if you move about and also eat your porridge you will keep warmer. I got so used to talking to her about anything and everything including the weather. 

She went into one of the greenhouses again today and started flicking stones and having a great time whilst myself and Mr Edwink were getting wet. She is not as silly as us and is sensible enough to stay out of the drizzle, clever girl.

Edwink x

edwink

Little Biscuit only took a few steps out of her run this morning, turned round, and went back in. So until it stops raining here it looks like she is staying undercover, and I don't blame her. At least she attempted it. bless her.  The weather is vile here and although hens don't mind the rain too much they absolutely hate it when it is windy. Her run is huge for just one hen so she'll be fine and has her large dust bath in there and things to climb on so she'll be fine. It is meant to dry up around lunchtime, or so they say so I'll have a go at opening her door and calling her and hope she comes out for a while, at least, bless her. 

I've cleaned her coop out this morning and given her fresh straw shavings so it will be nice and fresh when she goes to bed tonight. I've had a chat with her and she has chirped back a few times and that's the best I can do today whilst I wait till the weather changes and spend some time outside with her when she is out of her run.

The leaves from the Common look very Autumnal and beautiful now with every shade of green, brown, and yellow going. I must get a picture later when I've finished my jobs indoors and it dries up outside.

Edwink x

sammyjammy

I think she probably needs some raspberries to cheer her up? 

Cheery_Daff

sammyjammy said:

I think she probably needs some raspberries to cheer her up? 

😂😂 Yes, I quite agree! More treats for Biscuit! 😂😂

We used to refer to these types of days as "Beakios versus Weather" 😂 ours definitely did NOT like having their feathers ruffled. They used to come out of their run - but then spend the entire day huddled in our tiny porch, which (obviously) has no dustbath, no perches, no food - but did have the possibility that they would be let into the house 🙄 I was all for leaving them in the run on days like this, but Mr Cheery is a big softy and preferred to have them in the house sitting on his knee, eating grapes 🙄

edwink

@SammyJammy said:
I think she probably needs some raspberries to cheer her up?

Cheery_Daff said:😂😂 Yes, I quite agree! More treats for Biscuit! 😂😂

We used to refer to these types of days as "Beakios versus Weather" 😂 ours definitely did NOT like having their feathers ruffled. They used to come out of their run - but then spend the entire day huddled in our tiny porch, which (obviously) has no dustbath, no perches, no food - but did have the possibility that they would be let into the house 🙄 I was all for leaving them in the run on days like this, but Mr Cheery is a big softy and preferred to have them in the house sitting on his knee, eating grapes 🙄

Yes, the treats were definitely in order because of this horrible weather. Raspberries were given and she ate four, eventually, she came out but still didn't like the cold weather and tucked herself under a table next to the feed store. Over time she has made herself a small dustbath under there and often sits under there if the rain is drizzling. I offered her some Sunflower hearts but she didn't want any so I left them on the ground near her in case she changed her mind. I was having a cutback near where she was and she was chirping so appeared a lot happier than she did first thing this morning. The rain finally stopped so she came out from under the table and had a walk around where I was working, looking for worms as per usual. But, I wasn't digging but just tugging some weeds out where we are going to plant some more fruit trees next year. So at least she did have just under half a day out and about today.

Thank you for the reminder about the raspberries and treats, she has two cartons of fresh raspberries in the fridge but I forgot about those when I gave her some warm apple porridge at lunchtime which helps warm her up. She goes to bed quite early now the nights are drawing in so I try and get her out foraging as soon as I can in the morning but if she won't budge I leave her for a while and try again a bit later. She is doing incredibly well though for an old hen, bless her. 

Edwink x

sammyjammy

Biscuit eats better than me - and so she should x