Hello there ...
Just thought I would introduce you to the new Chap ...
Say Hello to George .. the cockerel .. isn't he rugged and handsome ..!
Yes George is his name .. short for Chicken George ... or (I think more fitting) George Clooney ...
he has that handsome suave silver look about him.
The weather has been fairly mild for an hour or two mid mornings ..
although colder.. and dark as the day progresses. Still no real heavy frosts ..
I can still find some pretty colours in the garden.
We gave the chicken shed a good clear out .. raked all the deep bedding (shavings).. out into the run .. it will beak down nicely into good compost for spring.
We find this system works really well ... deep bed with an outdoor run .. for the chickens ..
Hubby P is free range.
We used a large bag/bale of shavings over the last 8 mths or so .. just topping up once or twice with a smaller bag.
It has stayed dry and friable .. very 'scratchable' .. it absorbs all soil from the hens and there is little smell in the house.
We don't over stock .. we have four hens .. they give us enough eggs and we so enjoy having them just outside our door ...
I can hear them chatting to each other as they go about their daily scratchings.
Once cleaned out we put down new litter ..
Rather than shavings Hubby P bought this chopped oilseed rape straw .. its supposed to be super absorbent .. and cheaper than shavings.
The 'Girls' seemed to find it all rather interesting .. giving it a good old scratch about.
We introduced George to the Girls yesterday ..
I think they were a bit taken aback by his rugged manliness at first ...
they were a bit wary ..
mind you they had only ever known Rocky ( a bumbling little bantam cock).
They settled on the perches for the night .. poor George was one end and the Girls cuddled up together at the other end.
We checked again an hour later and one of the Girls had cuddled up to George ...
And today.. Oh yes! .. he has won them over ...
All was peace and harmony with George keeping a wary eye over them.
And he has a wonderful ... robust crow!
Such a show off!
Take care x bye for now x
ahhh, he is so handsome, I'm glad the girls are warming up to him,
ReplyDeleteOooooo hello handsome :) xx
ReplyDeleteHandsome fellow!
ReplyDeleteMy goodness he is a handsome fellow, the girls will certainly be swooning over him! x
ReplyDeleteYou kept George a secret! Has he been hiding in quarantine?
ReplyDeleteHe looks like a light Sussex, is that the breed? He is certainly a handsome fella!
I must try and find some oil seed rape straw, it sounds and looks good.
If you are looking for greenery, does that mean you are about to make yourselves a wreath? The one on the garden gate last year is what I've been thinking of, except it wouldn't last on my gate, it's right on the street and probably go 'missing'!
So, might there be the patter of tiny toes in the Spring?xxx
A very fetching chap he is! That looks like good bedding - we used to use something similar for the horses - Equisorb I think it was called. It was VERY good for a bed for a Laminitic pony as it supported the feet so well (this according to a friend of mine).
ReplyDeletewow i l love George , wish i could have chickens but i dont think my neighbour would appreciate it lol xxx
ReplyDeleteI do envy you the "girls", I thought long and hard about having some when I moved here, but because I often hop in the car and tootle over to Cardigan for a few days it was not practical. Mind you I am sure that Junior and Kaitlin would love me to take some hens over, they certainly love having Ben to stay.
ReplyDeleteBit of Wyandotte? No idea on spelling. I once had a commission for a champion whatever to paint. George is super.
ReplyDeletethe only problem with a cockerel is the 2am alarm call in the summer!
ReplyDeleteHow nice that you can enjoy his "Robust Crow". Our neighbours are okay about our (3) cockerels, but I know of other (country) chicken keepers that have had to get rid of cockerels because of their crowing. Which is a shame.
ReplyDelete