fowlbird Posted March 17, 2005 Share Posted March 17, 2005 Our girls made me laugh so much just now that I thought we could have a thread where we can share chicken conversations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fowlbird Posted March 17, 2005 Author Share Posted March 17, 2005 I was making a salad and decided to try the girls once more on lettuce. Popped outside with a leaf and offered it to Ginger who took it from my hand. Then realised that Gertrude was nowhere around so I called her. She answered me from under a False Castor Oil and I offered her a leaf. "That's not chook-chook!" she clucked indignantly. Whereupon Ginger stopped eating her leaf and off they went - muttering "That's not chook-chook. That's not chook-chook... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted March 17, 2005 Share Posted March 17, 2005 Not only do mine talk to each other but they have knowing looks too. Jenny, being head hen, often gives Clarry a certain look when she approaches the food bowl which speaks volumes - "Come anywhere near my food bowl while I'm eating and you'll eat dirt, young lady!". As soon as Clarry gets that look, she veers off at an angle and goes to peck at something else, coming over to the food bowl sheepishly when Jenny has finished. Clarry's a bug-nicker though! If Jenny's found some delicacy whilst digging, she can't help but announce to the world how clever she is - "Look, look" she calls. Clarry's there like a shot, whips the creepy crawly out of her beak and runs off with it. Jenny's left with a stunned look on her face while Clarry's trying desperately to gobble the beastie down before Jenny can mug her back for it! It's funny because it used to be the other way round and Clarry was left disappointed after a mugging but looks like she's the quicker hen now!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fowlbird Posted March 17, 2005 Author Share Posted March 17, 2005 they are funny when they do that! Ours go wild when they see us with forks and spades. "You got chook-chook?" they ask. As soon as we start digging they're there - they run so fast when one has a prized worm or baby snail and the other wants it... I spent a lot of time this winter clearing the space between the holly tree and shed to make a nice area where I can sit with my coffee (it gets the sun from about 4 am in the summer) and I was looking forward to it. I planted a wisteria against the fence and a buddleia for butterflies and to shield me from the house (like the girls I love my hidey holes!) Under the wisteria and buddleia I planted all sorts of crocuses and those little star shaped flowring bulbs. it's all gone pear shaped... the girls scratched up the bulbs and the squirrels ate them - apart from the yellow ones which they don't like so... Next year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted March 17, 2005 Share Posted March 17, 2005 How familiar!! We had pots of bulbs planted up for spring and they used to look lovely. During the summer, the girls decided they didn't like the big covered dustbath we'd made for them out of the remains of the little veggie garden they trashed on their first free ranging day. Oh no, they wanted to dustbathe in my bulb pots. The daffodil, crocus, tulip and lily bulbs went flying, as did all the soil and the pots are now almost empty with not even a single bulb left to flower!! The garden is the same. Anything remotely tasty and green has been munched to oblivion - you've seen the photos of the lawn - the plants match it!! However, now they're in the new custom built run at the bottom of the garden where nothing grows, I have the pleasure of replanting the borders, filling my pots with bulbs and herbs and cleaning the paths of poo all ready for an enjoyable summer! Things are already beginning to sprout back again. There are tiny blades of grass where the lawn used to be and the crocus leaves are springing up. This is all since Sunday when they got locked up in their run! There is hope!! I just have to lay aside my conscience when I see Clarry pacing up and down like a prisoner of war behind the wire - that's the hard bit . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fowlbird Posted March 17, 2005 Author Share Posted March 17, 2005 that is the hard bit, Kate but we have to be strict or we'll be living in a desert. I've just been out and used chicken wire to cover the garden incinerator in which I've planted a gunnera. Poor plant, every time it pops out a new leaf the girls eat it. It's not as if they aren't offered green stuff, they just prefer to pick their own. Gertrude just spat at me because I asked what she thought she was doing to the roots of our bean tree... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 17, 2005 Share Posted March 17, 2005 Hellooo. Of course they talk, because if they don't then I'm very silly standing out side thanking them for the eggs when I collect them, asking them if they are all right and telling them that no matter how much they ask they can not have more food and treats today or they will get fat and so on!?!? So they talk or I'm mad?!? But I'm probably mad because I talk to the cat, kitten, rat and rabbit too Sammi -x- P.s Happy St Patricks day, do a dance like my avater to celebrate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted March 17, 2005 Share Posted March 17, 2005 Sammi - your avatar's off in a pub having a Guinness or two by the looks of things! You've signed in as a guest ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted March 17, 2005 Share Posted March 17, 2005 Well, it is St Patrick's Day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammi J Posted March 18, 2005 Share Posted March 18, 2005 Hellooo.Of course they talk, because if they don't then I'm very silly standing out side thanking them for the eggs when I collect them, asking them if they are all right and telling them that no matter how much they ask they can not have more food and treats today or they will get fat and so on!?!? So they talk or I'm mad?!? But I'm probably mad because I talk to the cat, kitten, rat and rabbit too Sammi -x- P.s Happy St Patricks day, do a dance like my avater to celebrate. Okay, so that was me but at the time of writting I was signed in. I was! I did have a couple glasses of guinness but that was later after tea so that wasn't the reason. The only thing I can think of was, my kitten was on my lap while I was typing and she was playing with the mouse, maybe she logged me off Okay it's a long shot, But it had nothing to do with guinness!!!! Honest. Sammi -x- P.s Hope you all did the avatar dance yesterday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fowlbird Posted March 18, 2005 Author Share Posted March 18, 2005 Ginger learns some manners! this evening, just before they went to bed, I put the girls' dish of oystershell grit in the eglu run. Ginger ran over, took a beakful and then said "thank you". Obviously all those times I thanked them for the eggs are now paying off... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted March 18, 2005 Share Posted March 18, 2005 Sammi J, of course it was the kitten, they're dashed cunning these felines you know. My two have me trained Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motherhen Posted March 18, 2005 Share Posted March 18, 2005 Of course they do - proved by scientists. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,174-1530239,00.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
