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| A very indignant Marigold! |
Things have been a tad quiet on the chicken front lately so, here's a little update.
Firstly, I have to ask a question. Why would a chicken choose the coldest snowiest weather to moult? Throughout the very coldest weather, Miss Esmereld, our only layer of blue eggs, looked very sorry for herself. Stray feathers on the ground everywhere and not a single tail feather left - hardly surprising there's been no sign of her little blue eggs for ages and ages. Three months to be precise. Poor thing, there were more missing feathers than remaining ones. I was secretly thinking duvets!
Anyway this morning, I went down to feed the chickens and collect any eggs. To my horror; where there should by 5, there were only 2 girls!! Despite all the fortifications and the electric fence still ticking away, all sorts of alarm bells rang in my head! At any hint of food, they all come rushing to the gate. Putting down the trough containing their breakfast of mash, I opened the back door of the 'House for Hens, only to find the missing 3 all piled in to a single nest box in total silence, Esmerelda being one of the three, Marigold and Beatrice being the other two! With high hopes of a blue egg, I carried Beatrice into the Hennery House nest box leaving the other two to lay in peace. It worked! Today's total was 4 and one them a blue egg. Now Esmerelda has a full compliment of feathers once again, her plumage is looking immaculate. Maybe 'fine feathers do make fine birds after all! Hopefully, there'll be more blue eggs in evidence and on a more regular basis.
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| From the left: Esmerelda,Tosca, Wilhelmina, Beatrice & Marigold. |
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