There's a bantam explosion over the past few months. Firstly Georgia the fluffy white hen walked out with two small chicks (one yellow one gray) before her daughter from last year nicknamed "Mohawk" by my friend Rose due to her feathery head arrangement produced a small black one which she raised conscientiously for a month before abandoning it. Three weeks ago Francesca the black bantam with delicate flecks of gold around her neck arrived with four offspring. A week later Georgia produced another two out of thin air (again a yellow one and a gray) and on the same day Gabriella came out with four black fluff balls although so far she has managed to lose two, one of which she sat on and squished. These are all housed in three separate cages in the carport as protection against wandering cats (mine). The cacophony of cheeping when it's meal time has to be heard to be believed. My hand bears the scars of Francesca's impatience when I don't hurry up.
In the meantime Georgia's first two offspring from this season were moved into "The Big House". Her little white son has morphed into quite a nice little bird who obediently trots inside every evening. Her gray daughter however has turned out to be a strumpet who hangs around with the three outside roosters and makes a complete show of herself. Obviously a fowl teenage delinquent.
In related news it is with a heavy heart I write of the sad demise of "Son Of Bovril" who has not appeared for two days. Well over ten years old this gentle little golden replica of his Dad was a hit with the hens due to his kind ways. Always willing to give up a worm for a good looking hen, never one to chase them down for some quick loving first thing in the morning. We will never see his like again.
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