Released into the Community

Blimey bantams are feisty little things!

If you remember we had the argy-bargy the other week and had to divide the chicks' coop in two. At one end resided three tiny trouble-makers, ruffians, (boys of course!!) Turns out I have 4 boys and 5 girls, 6 if you count their mum. Hubby is thrilled, NOT! The remaining sociable six were bunked at the other end of the coop and both gangs had their own seperate runs.

This weekend I felt like I was living in a madhouse. The chicks were getting stir-crazy, fed up being cooped. There were mini cock fights every hour and along with the monsoon rain, I could have convinced myself I was living in Thailand if it hadn't been so pigging cold. Meanwhile the cats were bringing us gifts. Benny is an efficient assassin and tends to eat that which he murders, while Tabby is rather clumsy and likes the chase more than the eating bit. He kindly brought a live squirrel back to the walled garden and before our eyes he managed to lose it. It lashed off, turned left, bounded into the house and up the stairs. We haven't seen it since!

By Saturday lunchtime I reached a momentous decision: the chicks had to be free. For the past 48 hours all nine chicks have been in purgatory in the bungalow, (the annex to the main coop lovingly created by hubby.) These winged devils were destined, somewhat early, for their free range life.

In theory if you lock your chickens up for a couple of days they associate their prison as home, hopefully returning to it in the evening for shelter. This theory has sort-of worked in the past!

This morning (Monday) started slow and damp but it's lovely and warm now so I've gathered all my courage and released the little tornadoes into the community.

They are bananas. Now they're picking fights with my big hens, heedless of their disadvantage size-wise! We'll see if they last the day.

I've 23 chickens at large now, although I may have to find homes for the 4 roosters if they start getting frisky with their sisters. Quite enough poultry for The Larches I feel........ pigs next!!! Don't tell hubby.