Here Come The Girls!

I've wanted chickens for as long as I can remember. 

Mum and Dad bought us the coop for Christmas.  It's this one..... a pretty snazzy apartment don't you think?  Nice and solid to protect against marauding Mr Foxy and big enough for roaming around in on yuksome wet days when one doesn't feel like dampening one's feathers!  This picture makes it look like a small log cabin doesn't it?!! It's not quite 'that' big but it's a decent size for three chicken sized chickens!

Our chooks came from a distant relative in Wales and arrived with us on Saturday.  We were supposed to have been getting five of the little darlings but unfortunately Mr Welsh Foxy had been on a bit of a rampage in their home town and had not only taken two of 'our' chickens but several peacocks, ducks and chickens from surrounding farms too.  So sad :(

Anyway.  Three little ladies are now settling into their new home.  I love them already.  I love the lovely warbly chicken noises they make when the coop is opened up first thing in the morning.  I think they're already establishing a pecking order of sorts.  One of them appears to be the matriarch and seems to be a little more solitary and confident than the other two.  The two shyer ones follow her lead but keep a safe distance, and sleep in the same nesting box together at the moment despite their being a nesting box each. 

Other half finished the pen today (apart from a small area where the chicken wire ran out).  Luckily it's just an area high up which will be missing a little wire until the new roll is delivered.  This meant that they were able to take their first foray outside since arrival.  A scouting party was sent out first of all on a reccy - it took them around 20 minutes until they all decided that it was safe to strut outside.  They were reported to have been happy enough but didn't stay out for for long.  Baby steps.  Well chicken steps actually!

Here they are then.  Excuse the grainy pic as it's from a mobile phone - but I'm very pleased to be able to introduc you, in no particular order: 

Betty

Hatty

and Princess Leia!!

Welcome home ladies!!!