April the 8th and today my youngest, Orla, is 4! Golly, where did the time go?!
It was a very chilly week down at the yard, with temperatures rarely going above three degrees. I am glad to say that it looks like it is finally starting to warm up and I even took Bo’s rug off for a few hours yesterday so he could feel the sun on his back and have a good roll.
The chickens all seem happy in their temporary home. In fact one of the ladies, Daisy, has become broody. When a hen is broody, it means she wants to hatch her eggs. She will lay some of her own and in many cases she will roll eggs from the other hens under herself. To ensure the eggs stay warm, she will stop all other activities for 21 days and will refuse to leave the nest for more than a few minutes each day to eat,drink and do her business.
Every morning when I turn up to feed them, Daisy is still sitting on her pile of eggs, keeping them warm. What is really sweet is that Roger the rooster appears to be helping her to protect them as well.
Unfortunately, as all the chickens will be moving back to Lara's house at the weekend, the eggs will probably not survive the journey. However, Lara has told me that she will go and buy a set of fertilised eggs for Daisy to sit on early next week. A fertilised egg takes 21 days to hatch so fingers crossed, in a few weeks time there will be some new fluffy arrivals.
Even the rabbits seem a lot more settled, although I get the feeling they will be relieved to be back home at the end of the week just to get away from the chickens! At feed times we have to lock the bunnies in their hutch so they can eat in peace or the chickens bust in and gobble up all their food! They are a real pain and even steal their vegetable peelings and carrots given half the chance!
I hope you are all having a lovely Easter break. Enjoy this mild weather while it lasts!
It was a very chilly week down at the yard, with temperatures rarely going above three degrees. I am glad to say that it looks like it is finally starting to warm up and I even took Bo’s rug off for a few hours yesterday so he could feel the sun on his back and have a good roll.
The chickens all seem happy in their temporary home. In fact one of the ladies, Daisy, has become broody. When a hen is broody, it means she wants to hatch her eggs. She will lay some of her own and in many cases she will roll eggs from the other hens under herself. To ensure the eggs stay warm, she will stop all other activities for 21 days and will refuse to leave the nest for more than a few minutes each day to eat,drink and do her business.
Every morning when I turn up to feed them, Daisy is still sitting on her pile of eggs, keeping them warm. What is really sweet is that Roger the rooster appears to be helping her to protect them as well.
Unfortunately, as all the chickens will be moving back to Lara's house at the weekend, the eggs will probably not survive the journey. However, Lara has told me that she will go and buy a set of fertilised eggs for Daisy to sit on early next week. A fertilised egg takes 21 days to hatch so fingers crossed, in a few weeks time there will be some new fluffy arrivals.
Even the rabbits seem a lot more settled, although I get the feeling they will be relieved to be back home at the end of the week just to get away from the chickens! At feed times we have to lock the bunnies in their hutch so they can eat in peace or the chickens bust in and gobble up all their food! They are a real pain and even steal their vegetable peelings and carrots given half the chance!
I hope you are all having a lovely Easter break. Enjoy this mild weather while it lasts!