Cinnamon Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 Hi, remember me? The former moderator who escaped to France, buying a huge Dordogne farmhouse with 17 acres that we have been renovating for the past 3 years? Well, I am finally able to get hens again - I can't tell you how excited I am by this prospect, & am happily looking forward to dusting off my orange Cube. I have a good friend in the next town who breeds Marans & Welsummers, and will certainly be getting some hens from her, as well as some from the local market :-) Still in contact via Facebook with many good friends from my time on the forums, & I am happy to see so many familiar names here still Our Facebook Blog is here, if you are interested. https://www.facebook.com/fermesauvage/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 Yes! Of course we remember you! Have been following your progress in France with an appropriate amount of envy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 Well, for goodness sake HOW could we forget you!!!?? FAB to hear from you again; I've often wondered how you are getting on but I am not on Facebook or the tweet thing so unable to keep up! How are the renovations? Must be going pretty well as I recall you saying that chooks were def off the radar until things were up and running! I think of you on the rare occasions that I go to Henley....big changes there; the Loch Fyne place and huge area behind it backing onto the car park now being turned into a massive block of flats. The little cut thought down the side of the wine shop has been closed off for ages; it's a big site. Townlands hospital is now very glam...all new buildings and glass with a big car park (where you can actually PARK!) Do keep popping in and post some pics of your new girls! I love welsummers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenNutter Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 Glad to hear from you again, welcome back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 Yooo hoooo lovely to hear from you as always. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 Welcome back 😊 Will look at your French pics later but I can't wait to see photos of your new chickens when you get them xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted June 10, 2019 Share Posted June 10, 2019 Think you will be OK with Marans and Welsummers as they have straight combs and are light breeds. Problem breeds for us in the Dordogne were Orpingtons and Wyandottes; Orpingtons are too big and fluffy and the Wyandottes' rose comb so neither lose heat well. We used fans during the day and brought some in at night. Heat and high humidity are a bad combination and perhaps your cube has insufficient ventilation, even with the pop-hole left open and just a couple in there? You may need a second coop for Summer, possibly in a different location? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted June 10, 2019 Share Posted June 10, 2019 Hello Cinnamon! Your house is so beautiful, your OH must be a real treasure, you've both obviously put so much effort in but the rewards are obvious, its so lovely😀. What are you doing with all your land? I can't imagine having all that space, although perhaps some of it is woodland and grazing. Anyway, onto cherries, we are also in the midst of the harvest. Everywhere you go round here you find ladders leaning against trees and people, including all the very old people, up them, picking. Cherries for pudding has been compulsory for a week or two, and yesterday I made some cherry liqueur with cherries in it, which is always popular. Three of us spent 10 minutes stoning a few kilos yesterday and popping them in a cooling oven to semi dry out and then we'll think of a pudding to put them in. We are also drying some on the parcel shelf of the car. Congratulations on getting some hens, I shan't have any here in Portugal, it is too hot and too complicated when we travel, but I do miss them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted June 10, 2019 Share Posted June 10, 2019 Bonjour - glad you are getting girlies at last. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted June 10, 2019 Share Posted June 10, 2019 Welcome back! I've seen a few posts on Facebook and the photos look great! I'm driving through France this weekend so will wave from a distance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted June 10, 2019 Share Posted June 10, 2019 Welcome back Cinnamon- can’t wait to see your new gang!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted June 11, 2019 Share Posted June 11, 2019 Yoohoo! Has it been that long?!!!! Glad the chickens will be arriving soon. Architect came yesterday to measure, so building works on the cards here too but next year - although stables will be added some time this year! We will need somewhere to store our rubbish in the garage and workshop! And then who knows . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted June 15, 2019 Author Share Posted June 15, 2019 How lovely to hear from you all Soapdragon, we were back in Henley a couple of weeks ago, just for a flying visit as sadly I lost my Dad, but we were amazed at the changes to Henley. So much new construction & building going on everywhere. I don't know how the roads & car parks will cope with all the extra people & cars. Building is going well. We are living in one huge, completed room, which is our living, kitchen & dining area, but for the moment is our bedroom too. We should be in the new bedroom in a matter of weeks though - it is our spare room long term, but we will use it as a bedroom until the master bedroom is completed. That'll be some months away as first we have to rebuild a barn that was hit by lightening & turn it into Gites to give us some income, mainly so the French government won't chuck us out come Brexit. It is all rather worrying - we have no income but are living on our savings, however they have specified a minimum wage in order to continue living here. To be honest I wouldn't mind if we had to come back, as I miss my daughters horribly & France, although gorgeous & quiet, is not the easiest place to live. Anyhow, we shall see I will try & keep you updated. S x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 Oh so sorry to hear about your dad. Deepest sympathies. Used to pop into Henley to the quilt shop. Even there I had to park in Tesco's and walk down past the building sites. Don't recognise Hook now - very glad we moved when we did (and that was only in late August) as the farm fields have given way to an excessive number of new homes. So much for green field site protection - I gather there are a few hundred more to come. It sounds a very lengthy process for you, but it is coming along nicely - even if it is slowly. Scary living off your savings though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 My sister lives just outside Henley at Crazies Hill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarkymite Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 Hello Cinnamon! I also remember you. I'm so glad to hear you're almost ready to have hens again. How exciting!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules. Posted June 20, 2019 Share Posted June 20, 2019 Hello! Lovely to hear you’re going to get some hens soon. I love reading your Facebook updates, hope all goes well with the planned gites. My fil lives in France but has come home for a few months while he has some medical treatment. He lives two hours from Limoges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted June 20, 2019 Share Posted June 20, 2019 Please do let us know when your gites are up and running - I'd imagine that Omlet peeps could keep you going year round! More pics always welcome on here for sad people like me who don't do social media! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redhotchick Posted July 27, 2019 Share Posted July 27, 2019 I see the progress of your house on FB, it's lovely. Sorry to hear Brexit is making things worrying for you. With Boris now in, I worry how things will go myself. Would you be able to set up a camp site more quickly than getting the gites running? I've camped with no more facilities than a toilet and a whb with a cold tap. (in my younger camping days!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 I’ve just come into the forum for the first time in about 2 years too. Lovely to see your post. Hope everything works out for you with Brexit. Fingers crossed for us all for that matter 🙄 ive seen some of your pictures on FB looks lovely 😊 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
