Good Afternoon !
It's been awhile.....
Despite all my good intentions of blogging on a daily basis or even weekly, I have failed to do so. I have many excuses but similar to those for the lack of completed homework in years gone by, non are truly valid.
It's been a 'funny' year so far. The avian influenza housing order dragged on well into the Spring and when eventually the birds were allowed once again to free range, the weather turned cold setting the birds back.
However the breeding season got off to a good start with high fertility and hatch rate in all but the Pekin flock. Poor Carrot, the pekin cockerel failed dismally despite being given a second, third, even fourth chance at proving himself. He was returned to his original home to live out his retirement in comfort and was replaced by Parsnip, a young upstart who earned his place in the flock immediately, producing many varied and very pretty offspring, (all of which are available to buy )
The cold weather of late Spring has turned into a very dry and at times extremely hot summer.
The lack of rain has turned the usual lush grass breeding pens to areas of parched dusty ground.
Everywhere is looking tired and ready for Autumn. The birds are close to moult, in fact the pekins have already started to drop their feathers.
With avian influenza still rife in the country, wreaking havoc amongst the wild bird population, devasting large breeding colonies of seabirds, I feel we may be in for an early lockdown again this year.
It's been awhile.....
Despite all my good intentions of blogging on a daily basis or even weekly, I have failed to do so. I have many excuses but similar to those for the lack of completed homework in years gone by, non are truly valid.
It's been a 'funny' year so far. The avian influenza housing order dragged on well into the Spring and when eventually the birds were allowed once again to free range, the weather turned cold setting the birds back.
However the breeding season got off to a good start with high fertility and hatch rate in all but the Pekin flock. Poor Carrot, the pekin cockerel failed dismally despite being given a second, third, even fourth chance at proving himself. He was returned to his original home to live out his retirement in comfort and was replaced by Parsnip, a young upstart who earned his place in the flock immediately, producing many varied and very pretty offspring, (all of which are available to buy )
The cold weather of late Spring has turned into a very dry and at times extremely hot summer.
The lack of rain has turned the usual lush grass breeding pens to areas of parched dusty ground.
Everywhere is looking tired and ready for Autumn. The birds are close to moult, in fact the pekins have already started to drop their feathers.
With avian influenza still rife in the country, wreaking havoc amongst the wild bird population, devasting large breeding colonies of seabirds, I feel we may be in for an early lockdown again this year.
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