Dastardly Chicken

[Onelife]

Went out for lunch yesterday only to come back to find “Whinny” munching on all our newly planted French bean, lettuce and carrot plants…not only that but she also dug up all of our shallot and onion sets…. she is now minus wing feathers…. everyone say Ahh!

[Ray B]

Did you forget to shut the door on the run or is Whinny a free range chicken

[david63]

Perhaps you should feed her in future

[Stephen]

Chicken tonight.

[Onelife]

Hi Ray, we have a large purpose-built enclosure for our girls, they are enclosed within a three-metre-high fence but Whinny (Copper Maran) appears to have mastered to art of climbing. They have been in lockdown for the past three months, with that ban having been lifted today, so yes, they are free range, in so much as when we want to let them into the garden to destroy my flower beds. The flower beds are accessed via the gate that by-passes the veg plot.

Just a little update on the flock…we now have four girls…” Betty” (Blue Copper Maran) “Whinny” (black Copper Maran) “Meg” (Suffolk) and “Buffy” (Buff Orpington)

The joy’s of living on a Country Estate

[Ray B]

Sorted, Whinny for the pot,, replace with another Buff Orpington, the fence is to high for them plus they are friendly birds.

[Onelife]

As much as I like your suggestion, I doubt my wife would be willing to commit infanticide.

Whilst Buff Orpington’s are renowned for being docile and friendly this obviously doesn’t apply to them all. Buffy is as thick as two brick walls and runs a mile every time you try and approach her.

[Ray B]

I refute your accusation that I have tred to approach Buffy, I have never been anywhere near her.
I have instructed my solicitor.

[Onelife]

Don’t take it to heart Ray…I have the same problem with sheep

[Ray B]

.

[Portsmouth]

Hi Onelife, are you aware that there is a concern about the spread of this avian flu ? Hope your chickens are alright.

A GB wide Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) is also in place and requires all keepers whether they have pet birds, commercial flocks or just a few birds in a backyard flock to undertake enhanced biosecurity measures to mitigate the risk of further outbreaks of the disease. These enhanced biosecurity measures include reporting of changes in egg production, mandatory record keeping, disinfecting footwear, and cleansing & disinfecting housing and concrete walkways on a continuous basis

Time to give those lovely chickens a new larger luxury home and maybe include some music to encourage the egg laying
Also think it might be an idea to get rid of any annoying magpies, rooks, crows & jackdaws hanging around.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Eat Whinny and you'll be consuming your missing veg by proxy.

[CaroleF]

Reading about your Buff Orpington immediately reminded me of a novel by Dorothy L Sayers in the Peter Wimsey series, 'Busman's Honeymoon'. One of the characters, a very sensitive, do gooding, spinster keeps Buff Orpingtons. Each Friday, before Market later in the day, she's up at five in order to dispatch some of the Buff Orpingtons in order to sell them at market later in the day. Any Dorothy L Sayers fan will know what I'm talking about. This character, Miss Twitterton, also plays the Church Organ on Sundays. Owners of Buff Orpingtons are obviously very talented!

[Onelife]

Hi Onelife, are you aware that there is a concern about the spread of this avian flu ? Hope your chickens are alright.

A GB wide Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) is also in place and requires all keepers whether they have pet birds, commercial flocks or just a few birds in a backyard flock to undertake enhanced biosecurity measures to mitigate the risk of further outbreaks of the disease. These enhanced biosecurity measures include reporting of changes in egg production, mandatory record keeping, disinfecting footwear, and cleansing & disinfecting housing and concrete walkways on a continuous basis

Time to give those lovely chickens a new larger luxury home and maybe include some music to encourage the egg laying
Also think it might be an idea to get rid of any annoying magpies, rooks, crows & jackdaws hanging around.

Hi Pompey, the girls are fine and yes, we are aware of the new rules, that being said we haven’t stopped taking precautions; indeed, I would say my wife’s, wifery is second to none, so much so that she is taking better care of them than she is me what with me being laid up with a bad back at the moment.

[Onelife]

Eat Whinny and you'll be consuming your missing veg by proxy.

I couldn’t face doing that, but we ate one of her relatives last night

[Ray B]

A supermarket chicken by chance ?

[Onelife]

A supermarket chicken by chance ?

KFC

[Ray B]

A good choice. We had a KFC last week, the first time for two or three years, and did enjoy it.
We have a subway, McDonald's, Burger king, KFC and quite a few takeaways within half a mile via the ring road, but other than the odd trip to pacify the grandchildren, never realy use them.