Speckledy's Turn ...

Easy to tell whose egg it is!

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Well done Speckledy 1. (I'm sure you'll get a name soon.)
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Quiet Day

While I have been having a quiet day, due to one of those 'bugs that are going around', Peter has been trying to do everything else and get on with jobs. The girls have been on the case and followed him everywhere checking that he was doing it correctly!

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One of the speckledys keeps trying to come in the back door and even made it on one occasion in case there was corn laying about on the floor! Then she and Bluebell keep on chasing whoever is going up the path in case they have a titbit - even if I'm only going to water the tomatoes. They have us laughing out loud frequently. Only one egg from Rosalind today. Presumably Margot thought she was due for a rest after her effort yesterday.

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Ouch! .....

We went to Haverfordwest this morning to sort out a new kitchen.

When we returned this is what Margot had left us!

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Rosalind had laid her usual bog standard brown egg weighing about 45gms (note I am using grams and not ounces!). But Margot had laid a whopper (on the right) weighing 54gms - the one she laid yesterday (on the left) weighed only 40gms. We weren't there to hear if she let everyone know what she had done, but we are extremely pleased with her effort. In fact we just used the last of the commercially produced eggs up today, so its 'home produced - free-range' from now on. It's a great feeling to know exactly where and who the egg came from and what the hen has been fed on. We look forward to many more. Thank you girls!

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No-one else laying yet.

The Reasons for the Delay ......

Six laying hens - two of which have provided the above so far.

The brown eggs are Rosalind's and the white ones are Margot's.

We have had more than a dozen, but have eaten the others! Delicious.
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Two Speckledys. Neither laying yet, but I think one of them will do soon as her comb and wattles are getting more bright red by the day. No names for them yet as we cannot distinguish between them enough.
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This is Sussex (a Sussex Star hen). Was always the first to 'fly'/jump over the electric fence if she got the chance. Hopefully Peter has made this too difficult by taking out a lot of the launching pads - logs! Not laying yet.
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The stately Margot (Fonteyn) so named as she is a white leghorn described as a 'dainty ballerina'. She laid her first egg (pure white) last Sunday. Her second, at about 7.30 this morning was heralded by much noisy and pleased crowing! We hope she doesn't disturb the neighbours, but they may be placated with eggs!
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Rosalind (Red Star) and Blubell (a Bluebelle). Rosalind was the first to lay and has so far given us 11 eggs! She started laying just before grandchildren came to visit and it was their great pleasure to be our 'egg collectors'.

Unfortunately I seem to be noticing that these two are rather pushy to say the least and will jump over or on any of their sisters who might have a tastier morsel, grape, corn, marmite toast (yes, that was recommended as an occasional treat because of the Vitamin B!).
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~ The Girls! ~

They free-range for part of the day. Trying to get them used to differing periods of time in their run. If they expect to be outside all day every day we will never get any time off!!

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'Bluebell' our Bluebelle hen. Her feathers are a most beautiful soft, bluey, lavender colour. I can't wait for her to have her full comb and wattles. She will be very handsome.

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So there you have it. We have been so tied up with tidying up the garden for visitors and building (Peter) accommodation for the girls I have not had time for updating the blog, but hope to continue it from now on.