What a bit of TLC can do

In September we went through the 12 month barrier with Mary.  They say if an ex bat survives a year with you you've done well.  Unfortunately her counterpart Tess only made 10 days but Mary was much stronger when we got them.  She did have a week were I thought we were going to loose her - coughing, difficulty breathing, listless etc.  We brought her inside and treated her with antibiotics, anti-inflamatories and we de-wormed her.  She pulled through and hadsn't shown any signs of illness since.  Here she is tucking into some apple that Polly also had her eye on.

When December comes we'll have had Helen and Joan for a year.  It was heartbreaking to see the condition they were in.  Dirty, featherless (apart from their heads) and their combs (red bit on top of their heads) were enlarged, floppy and pale.

Joan is on the left with her foot in the food bowl and Helen is on the right with just a few more feathers down her front.  It was months before they resembled anything like a proper chicken.  You can hardly tell with Helen now, her body is covered in beautiful honey gold plumage.  Joan still looks a bit scrawny,  her tail feathers never grew back properly and she is tiny but there has been a wonderful change in her face.  You see on the photo above that both of them are very pale, they look absolutely washed out.

Look at how she's changed.  It's a total transformation.  A lovely bright red healthy comb standing upright and lots of colour in her other features.  Whenever food is put out she grabs some and runs away to eat it by herself because the others just grab it off her if she doesn't.  She's happy to be picked up but has never been one for a cuddle.  She used to climb frantically onto my shoulder and then jump off but now she grudgingly lets me hang onto her for a while and is even starting to relax and take in the moment.

And here is Helen.  Look at that beautiful feathered body.  The only evidence of her harsh treatment are those two bottom feathers on her wing which simply refuse to grow. 

How they have flourished with a little bit of tender loving care.

Tuckin' In

We've been taking daily trips to Chestnut House Hotel recently to get Polly used to getting walked on a lead.  It's much more interesting if you actually have somewhere to go.  Each day I show Polly her lead and she trots to the back gate and up comes the hoof to tap on it.  She waits patiently while I put her lead on and the three of us (Buffy, Polly and I) head off for our stroll.

Now this should only take me about 8 mins.  Picture this though.  Polly loves to eat, Buffy loves to sniff, and everybody seeing this strange spectacle loves to talk.  30 mins later we usually arrive at our destination.  If Lady J is there it's cup of T or gin and T depending on what time of day it is, if she isn't there we make ourselves at home in the garden.  Lady J's chooks have a bit of a mosey round outside their run, Polly checks out the veg patch and Buffy stares into the conservatory window where she knows the cat usually rests.  If the cat isn't there her food always is so either way, there's something in there that Buffy wants.

Polly is certainly getting used to this new place, she litterally stormed her way into the section of garden that she now considers to be hers.  She loves those veggies!

Today, when we were coming home there was a group of people doing a sponsored cycle and they were taking photos of their trip out.  What better photo to get than a lamb and a jack russell walking beside eachother on leads!  I'm hoping my head was out of the shot as it isn't one of my best days today!



Reservation at Chestnut House

We're very lucky to have wonderful friends and family to help out with the brood from time to time but one particularly kind friend (to be known as Lady J) has said that if we ever go away for a couple of weeks and are worried about Polly she is more than welcome to stay with them at Chestnut House.

I've said I'll muck in with their beautiful chickens when they need help so yesterday Buffy, Polly and I trotted down to Chestnut House for Polly to check out her Hotel.  The walk should have taken 10 mins maximum but by the time Buffy had sniffed at everything and Polly had stopped to eat everything time was cruising on by.  Coupled with the fact that passers by were asking a lot of questions and obviously I had a lot of explaining to do, 25 minutes later we arrived at Chestnut House.

Lady J was so lovely with Polly,  I have a feeling that if Polly does go for a short visit I'll have trouble getting her back!  They have a wonderful vegetable patch for her to tuck into and lots of bushes to have a go at.  Five gorgeous chickens named Katie, Poppy, Lizzie, Grace and Camilla, two huge (and I mean huge) brown labradors and a cat complete Lady J's own brood so I don't need to worry about Polly missing out on her usual friends for company.

Polly was a bit unsure at first, she was just like a dog and stayed by my side wanting her head sroked.  She was quite reserved and unsure about her surroundings.  When we went inside she bleated mercilessly and that's when Lady J brought her inside.  How lovely was that of her?  I have a feeling that Lady J may well even invite Polly upstairs when Sir A  isn't around!  Polly soon made herself at home as you can see here (although for some reason I can't get it facing the right way).

She even tried to have a sip of our g'n't's and a mouthful of crisps but we weren't having any of that.  We're going to be making a few trips up there in the next few days to get her used to the walk and the "hotel".

I have a feeling she'll be quite happy trotting down to Chestnut House Hotel each day with me!

Poorly Polly

Last Thursday our Pollyanna had a bad tummy.  Without wanting to get too graphic, you know those little currenty type poos that sheep normally do?  Well she was doing full on cow pats!  Not nice.  Also, she had no interest in food and was very lethargic.  Just wanted to come in and lie down in the kitchen and feel sorry for herself.

Unfortunately we were due to be going away for a couple of nights but I wasn't happy leaving her until we knew she was going to be ok.  We had Ranger Tam O'Shanter round to give her the once over.  He won't like to admit it but I think he still feels rather responsible for her as he's the very gent that foisted her on us in the first place.

We're lucky enough to have a very good friend who's a vet but Ranger Tam O'Shanter is always our first port of call.  He's done all her vaccinations and ear tagging.  Who better to shove a thermomiter up her bottom?  He tried his best to get me to do it but to my shame I went abit squeamish and had to get the Kiwi to take charge.  He did it without upsetting Polly too much and as it turned out her temperature was fine anyway.

The next day she was very much improved.  Her appetite was a little better and she was munching away at her favourite things, she was even licking the radiators with gusto!

We'd lined up a hole host of people to keep a check on her so felt it was ok to take our little trip away.  We couldn't take Buffy with us and she'd got a reservation in a lovely place down the road known as her Grandparents home.  They love having her and she loves to be there but as soon as she got the vibes that a trip was afoot she climbed firmly in the driving seat and wouldn't get out!

On our return we found out that our girls had indeed been looked after very well by my friend's son who is to be known as HYM as he is a very handsome young man. There was one blip when he very kindly took her down to his garden for a little chomp on their grass.  I often take her there myself and barricade the fence with chairs so she can't get out.  Well, HYM did exactly that, then when he wasn't looking she bolted!  Yes, she wanted to come home so she pushed her way through the offending obstacles and left their premises.  Thankfully we only live a few doors away and as she was trotting happily home another neighbour managed to get hold of her and brought her back to our front garden where she tied her up.

So, a big thank you to all concerned (and you know who you are).  Without Godparents, Grandparents, Rangers, Neighbours and HYM it would be a very different matter if we wanted to have a little break.

Every Girl Should Have One

Last night Buffy had some friends for yet another sleepover.  We had Fudge who regularly stays, then another two new friends.  They are Molly and Gracie, the most adorable King Charles Cavs I have ever seen.  Gracie is a rescue dog and she had been kept outside and was very underweight and covered in mud when she was found.  She's such a delicate and loving little creature, how could anyone do that?  Molly, has a shiny black coat and just wants to roll over and be tickled.  The two of them were perfect house guests.

Thankfully The Kiwi was away for the night because the homestead was full to overflowing.  There were 4 dogs, 6 chooks, a lamb (now the size of a chocolate lab), my VBF, her friend and me. VBF's friend has just sent me a text asking why there has been no mention of him, his cooking or his marvelous gay presence.  He shall therefore be known as His Royal Gayness.

VBF has gone through a little bit of a bad patch recently and while I have obviously been there for her she is also lucky enough to have the very dear friendship of His Royal Gayness.  We decided last night that every girl should have one.  He is a wonderful cook, has a whitty turn of phrase, is pleasing on the eye and I'm sure he will want me to mention that for a man he is very flexible too.

This morning we all sat together (two girls, one gayness and four furry friends) on my bed eating millionaires shortbread with freshly brewed coffee and we put the world to rights. 

Thank you VBF and His Royal Gayness for your company, your laughter, your caring and above all your friendship.  Every girl most certainly should have one!

Moulting Time

The place is a mess!  After Feathers Lodge was so beautifully decorated a couple of months moulting season is upon us and feathers are all over the place.  Doris is looking scruffier than ever but anyone worried about her please believe me she is ab fab.  She even had a go at Polly this morning when there was a scuffle over breakfast.

Penny and Hetty have lost their tail feathers and it looks so strange because normally they are the strong beautiful ones but like Doris they're looking a bit scraggy at the moment.  When their moult starts they stop laying eggs but it soon starts again.

They're Welsummers and the lay the most delicious dark brown eggs with golden yolks. 

The ex batt girls however are showing no signs of loosing feathers and are still laying nice and regularly.

Helen even had a go on the trampoline the other day!  She'd seen Buffy on there and was flapping about wanting to see what was going on up there so I lifted her on.  She had a little trot around on it then decided it was much more exciting at ground level.

Buffy on the other hand was perfectly happy to spend the aftternoon up there away from all the other girls.  She likes a bit of alone time.

Dish of the day

A very good friend called round today to see the girls and check on their progress. She shall be known as "The Dish". This name is twofold as she is firstly the most amazing cook, and secondly she's a little bit gorgeous.  She is also my Guru in many ways, and I in turn try to be a good little protege.

Last time The Dish saw the girls Doris was at her best and Helen and Joan were at their worst. Now Doris is poorly and going through her annual moult so she isn't looking great. The little ones however were a bit of a shock to see in all their glory. The Dish was amazed at the difference in them and put their wonderful recovery down to the love that has been lavished on them. In no time at all Helen settled down in The Dish's arms and went straight off to sleep.

I don't know who got more satisfaction from this cuddle, Helen was clearly in her element but The Dish enjoyed every moment of it.  When an ex battery girl puts her trust in you it makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.