Scream!
This is what I heard when at the garden centre and I knew it was the Peacock that has adopted the place! They did not buy it, it simply turned up one day and decided to stay! I don't always see it so was excited when I heard it scream - so whilst sister chose plants I took photos!
It was a dull day interspersed by rain and hail - so we did a waitrose shop and the garden centre - I got a load of unusual pumpkin and courgette seeds and in the evening gave some of each to sister, along with flower seeds I didn't want that come free regularly with my Garden News magazine!
So going backwards through the day the extra run works - after a lot of digging out of the ground and moving of pots and sealing off gaps! However this totally threw the newbies as now they have to jump up and out through the lifted top of the other run! Poor Pip just couldn't manage it - I think because her tail is long like a peacocks she overbalances and is pulled back down in an undignified heap! Took her long enough to figure out that she had to jump as well! Although the others know how to jump out, when it rains they go the same route to jump back in through the side door - which is now out of access! Oh what fun watching them today! However I have decided Henrietta and isabella must go the allotment. Many reasons - garden too small and too much poo! They keep jumping in and digging out my pots, which when my dahlia's start growing amongst other plants, I cannot tolerate! Plus they make such a racket! Worse than a peacock! Today was worst as Henrietta, Isabella and Tilly all wanted to lay, but Tilly got to the nesting boxes first and wasn't letting the other two join her! Well did they ever complain about that! When you want to lay an egg you really don't want to be queuing to do so! So monday, weather being fine, i will take them up and see how they are treated by the others. I did some checking and many people keep bantam and standard size together, so I'm hoping our standard girls will be accepting ( not that i feel they are standard in anything but size you understand!) I am keeping Pip because she is just the sweetest, inquisitive little thing, and really is too small for the allotment. Plus she lays blue eggs and she will be a friend for Tilly and won't try to assume dominance. Plus they lay on alternate days so there will be no queuing!
Finally, having opened my friends chickens I went up to the allotment to check on Estelle. Well wouldn't you know it, gone 9 am and still not let out! So my statement yesterday that they are not stressed is untrue - 9 is far too late for them to be let out - they are birds and like to be up and out with the dawn! When I phoned to let the opener that day know they were out, fed and coop cleaned, I discovered they were just about to go up as had finished their breakfast!!! I mean seriously?!!! I dress, have an espresso, and go - often not stopping to even clean my teeth - and they were having breakfast?!!! I will be mentioning opening times in my next email to the coop members!
So last day with sister - tomorrow my house is all mine and I can return to my way of doing things in splendid isolation! It's been fun but really I can't wait!!
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