Season Of The Chicks Part Two

28^th July, 2014- Friend gave me four brown shaver hens from her giant flock. 

15^th August- one of my new shaver hens died after having a slight cold when she arrived.

18^th August- new replacement brown shaver hen to replace dead one.

24^th August- another of my new brown shavers died from respiratory illness.

"Millie" shaver hen

7^th September-Gina Lollabridgida hen had a fight Thursday ending up with a swollen black eye. That healed up but today I found her feet up in the paddock. Gina Lollabridgida hen had a fight Thursday ending up with a swollen black eye. That healed up but today I found her feet up in the paddock.

15^th September- Gretchen pullet who has not grown at the same rate as her siblings passed away.

26^th November- Gabriella turned up with one day old chick. Now ensconsed in woodshed.

11^th December 2014- Lara the black bantam hen I was given seven years ago dies. Buried by the foxgloves.

9^th January- Gabriella turned up in the middle of the garden with seven chicks.

16^th January- one of Gabriella's chicks missing. Cat looking guilty.

31^st January- Widget the Midget rooster passes away. No idea how old he was but he was ancient. Had recently lost his status as top “outside” rooster.

Widget the Midget Rooster

8^th February- Gabriella's sister arrives with seven new chicks.

16^th February- at 3.30 am heard loud cheeping from the woodshed. Discovered Gabriella's twin sister's chicks out of the cage. Inside was the hen pecking at a hedgehog which had already killed two of her chicks. Rolled hedgehog round to the veggie garden before blocking up any spaces in the cage where it could have got in.

18^th February- someone ran over and killed Twizzle rooster out front.

3^rd March- friend gives me a Rhode Island cross pair. Rooster is called “Jock” and I've named the hen “Isabelle Willis” after a woman my mother once worked for.

21^st March- -heard anguished cheeping at 4am from woodshed. Hedgehog back in the cage straddling a chick. Managed to catch it and put it in a cat carry cage (later sent to live at another property). Found Gabriella in a bad way in the broodie cage. Covered with blood and missing feathers.

22^nd March- Gabriella died in the night from her hedgehog related injuries and shock.

Jock the Gentleman Rooster.

2^nd April- hawk took another of Gabriella's chicks.

12^th April- drop in temperature & one of Gabriella's sister's chicks dies.

13^th April- hawk took another of the now deceased Gabriella's chicks. Down to five- all males.

14^th April- Gabriella's sister loses a chick with another looking seedy.

19^th April- Molly the brown shaver dies after being repeatedly pecked in the face by a fellow hen.

30^th April- my favourite chick of Gabriella's (a little gold female) died during the night.

21^st May 2015- find a pile of black feathers near the fence. Suspect hawk killed a hen.

25^th May 2015- Another of Gabriella's chicks dies.

26^th May 2015- Gabriella's last two chicks die from cold (snow).

6^th June 2015- cold weather killed white bantam pullet (the one addicted to eating grapes).

21^st June 2015- old white fluffy bantam hen Georgia dies.