The perfect timewaster

I normally go out with the thought just to get them (being the hens,, obviously!)  fed and watered and leave them to it - then end up just standing and watching, then thinking I might as well be having a cup of coffee to warm my hands, then go and fuss and fiddle with things in the run, etc etc! I think I'm just making excuses to watch them! I gave them crumb porridge with peas in this morning but as it was the first time they've seen 'strange little green things' they were quickly removed, one by one, and trampled underfoot! I'll keep trying to get some goodness into them tho - they're still learning that they can eat things apart from Exbatt food from the grub container.

If I hadn't stood watching, I'd have missed Keppel find and devour her first worm yesterday! :dance:

Don't we all have other things we should be getting on with? Well, yes...but they're not as much fun are they?!

Crumb Porridge

Last night I got home just as dusk turned to dark and had to encourage them in with a torch. Tonight, OH returned about half 8 and found them all tucked up nearly asleep! Bless - amazing how quickly they learn. He even rummaged around under them and found three more eggs, although they're smaller than the previous days'. Is this as they're settling into a new diet and regime and aren't eating all day every day?

They're definitely becoming cheeky very quickly but are also eating all their crumb porridge that I'm making for them before work. We’ve ad a few hiccups with eggs and a certain lack of them in the last few days, but I suppose having gone from 18 hours light and 24 hour food, to ten hours of each must be a shock to the system, so we’ll wait a few weeks until their routine settles down and see how we get on!

Introducing Wilson, Betty and Keppel

Couldn't wait to share pics of our new ex-batts. One slightly more battered than the other two but all looking more confident this morning. And we even had two eggs, although Betty did stamp on one to get it out of the nest box so she could lay hers! We'll be having words about that when she's settled in a bit more!

Wilson

Betty

Keppel

Betty's Egg

He he - we're very excited about it all, but also quite worried about whether they'll find the water, etc. Come on girls, you can do it!

If you’re thinking about adopting some hens, don’t forget to go to the British Hen Welfare Trust website to find out more!

Lettuce

 

The few seeds I scattered several weeks ago have grown into free food! Sown so close together, I can only use these as separate leaves but since that’s what I wanted anyway, it’s all good! Used this way, lettuce becomes a ‘cut and come again’ crop, which suits me brilliantly, as I should have delicious, home-grown lettuce all through the summer months.

Now, what shall I have with it?

Things I found on my walk along Aldeburgh Beach…

1- a stone with a round space

2 – sea peas

3 -   blackberries

4 – some sort of prickly catkin type seed

5 – rose hips

6 - wild fennel

Thanks for the rain…

The lettuce has begun to sprout…

 

 

The courgettes have flourished…

 

Even the parsnips are coming up – unheard of after only having been sown two weeks ago!

 

The raspberries are swelling nicely…

Which all makes for a fruitful harvest: courgette flowers, nasturtiums, raspberries. chard and spinach. Perfect for stuffed courgette flowers on top of a green salad.

Broad Beans – nearly ready!

I think I got a little overexcited! I saw the broad beans were fattening up nicely so decided to begin the harvest.. Luckily I opened the first one picked to have a look how they were: erm…tiny"!

Maybe with a bit off feeding in the next week they’ll be ready fairly soonish: I’m not sure I can wait that long!