Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Chortle Chook]

Hey look what a pretty little girlie I'm gonna be getting from Daxigirl. What an expression she's got! I think she'll be called 'Daz' as her Mummy is called 'Persil' and all my girls have D names.

I'm so excited (as the song goes) Gonna pick her up at the Reading Banty show (Newbury) on 23rd Feb.

Daxigirl also has three really pretty wee cockerels that actually have a nice soft crow with the full 'cock a doodle doo'. I was tempted but I lurve my existing week Silkie cockerel who is nearly 9 years old now.

[Chickabee]

She's lovely. Is she red partridge? If so that's the same as my twinkle

[mollyripkim]

She is so cute and has a lovely expression, bet you can't wait.

[TooLilac]

Look at that afro, what a cool 'do.

we are collecting three new silkies on saturday morning, and I can't wait. I've never actually seena silkie up close, let alone held one! I think it will be a shock after my heavy duty hybrids (we call them Sumo-chickens as theygre so much larger than my little leg bar).

[Chortle Chook]

She's lovely. Is she red partridge? If so that's the same as my twinkle

Yes she is a Partridge - hatched by Daxigirl. I confess I'm not really into the standards etc. and just like a pretty chicken that doesn't vanish into the plants in my garden. Black is therefore not such a good colour here, but golds and whites are lovely popping in and out of my shrubs. Lilac - you'll find them so soft to hold. I'm not surprised that Marco Polo thought they were a cross between chickens and rabbits

[Margaret]

Lovely girl, thought you were going to be good , how many is that now?

Must admit, will be getting a few big girls again at the end of the month as have decided I would actually like some eggs this year. Does the wish list never stop I wonder.

[Chortle Chook]

Ah that wish list. My real wish is one day to have the ability to create a nice large WIR and have some ex-bats but that is not really gonna happen while my chooks all wander round free range over my wee garden. While that is the status quo I need non scratchers and light egg layers too it seems

[Valkyrie]

Hopefully I'll see you at the show then! Too close to miss for me!

[Chortle Chook]

Oh I hope so Valkyrie. I'll be the one wandering around with a pink pet carrier

[Chortle Chook]

Getting very excited now - just got to wait till this weekend Thinking I may call her 'Diva' as she looks so imperious

[Valkyrie]

Non scratchers eh? You want a chicken with no feet! Silkies - heavy duty ploughing machines (in my experience) because Kitty made the deepest holes! I think that's the 5 toes in action. Feathered feet brigade - er they are just as determined. Orpingtons will scratch but like others to do the dirty work and then shove their bosoms in and bundle the diggers out of the way. Marans very intelligent and will sneak in between the orpies. Plus very good and even tilth with mine. Buff Sussex will chase everyone away and miss out because she's too busy being a ratbag.

Planting and digging holes is the opposite. Watch a hole fill in quicker than you dig it (with or without some big fatso standing on the spade or fork while you try)! Oh and orpies just tread on the plants that are in their way instead of going round. Pekins then hop on and off the broken branches and in the end the plants die because they weren't meant to be layered and trampled on. In other words - roses are good because they avoid those! Lavender - stalks apart from the top green bit. Like a silkie tufty head. Also other people's birds eat bindweed. Ooh look at that yummy bindweed I say. We don't want that - we want the veggie patch and the fruit patch. Pfffft!

I digress yet again.

See you tomorrow!