Lady Magnon has been wanting to let the hens out of their run for ages; I (on the other hand) didn't want them running around Haddock's, eating all my winter vegs. However, I was interested to see how Monty would behave (Bok was confined to barracks) given three hens on the loose.
Yesterday we found a solution, and managed to get them directly from their run to the paddock, without stopping off at my salads en route. Monty ignored them.
Strangely they didn't really seem too interested in their freedom. They scratched around under some Sumac bushes until they eventually decided that they preferred the constrictions of their true home, and went back by themselves.
N.B. The hens are 'Turkens'; a rather ugly variety of Chicken with bald necks. They are (usually) wonderful layers, which is why I keep them.
N.B. The hens are 'Turkens'; a rather ugly variety of Chicken with bald necks. They are (usually) wonderful layers, which is why I keep them.
They certainly are strange looking - you'd have thought they would have loved some fresh ground to explore. Do you have foxes in France?
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen one for ages. I think there's an anti-fox lobby about.
DeletePre-strangled chickens.
ReplyDeleteand pre-plucked. As Churchill said 'Some Chicken, some neck'.
DeleteHandy for the stock-pot.
DeleteI think they're rather lovely. Bald necks and all.
ReplyDeleteBut if I could knit they'd all have scarves for the winter.
They remind me of characters out of ‘Chicken Run’, the film. I suppose the bald necks will make it easier when the fateful day comes, or will you let them die of old age ?
ReplyDeleteOld age, and a decent burial I think.
DeleteAh, a man after my own heart!
DeleteGood boy, Monty!! I love those naked necks.
ReplyDeleteMy chickens are often in my garden, and touch wood, they never seem to bother much with my plants. They always seem more interested in the dirt underneath them!
Run, run . . . Where are we going? I don't know. Back to the coop.
ReplyDeleteBack to safety, I suspect.
DeleteI love chickens even your ugly ones. Before the Raccoon invasion that cleaned out the poulailler we had an eleven year old Australorp by the name Tilly.
ReplyDeleteELEVEN????? Are you in the Guinness book of Records? It must be that NZ air.
DeleteI've never seen hens like that. They remind me of chickens crossed with vultures. What color eggs do they lay?
ReplyDeletePinky white; but wonderful.
DeleteCool. I used to get eggs from a friend in a variety of pastel shades. Very pretty.
DeleteApparently the grass isn't greener on the either side, at least from their view.
ReplyDelete