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A different kind of busy

17/9/2021

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Autumn brings a different kind of busy,. the frenzy of the breeding season and rearing chicks is over, the hens are in moult and their laying has slowed down.
Now is the time to concentrate on the maintenance of the empty houses and pens, ready for next year.
All the broody arks and houses get checked over for any repairs they may need and the wood treated with a preservative The fences of the empty pens checked, this year we have several fences posts to replace. The grass is cut, dustbathing holes filled and bare patches reseeded. They are then left to rest over winter. Hedges are cut back.
The breeding groups are broken up, the cockerels are put together in a separate paddock and the hens run together.
This season's growers, both the replacement stock and the birds for sale are in their own separate runs.
The selling and posting of hatching eggs is over for a few months, the majority of birds have sold, although we do have a Christmas rush of sales for the remaining hens .and  vouchers as presents..
Then before you know it, it's time to start putting the breeding groups back together for the start of another year of hatching.

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Rainy day ramblings

10/9/2021

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It's that time a year again. The craziness of the breeding season is over, things are starting to wind down for the autumn and winter and my thoughts turn to restarting the blog

I stopped posting on twitter, I found it required too much time, I am an infrequent user of Facebook. I do try to keep followers up to date with the goings on at Bellecross Hens via Instagram, my blog however allows me to ramble so much more.

If you are new to Bellecross Hens and are the least bit interested, below are the links to my previous blogs.

.Gosh they were written a while ago, how things have changed| Not just at Bellecross hens but the use and style of social media.. I really do need to try and keep up but I fear my age is beginning to show | I'm not sure 'selfies' are for me and I've yet to grasp 'reels' and TikTok..

Thankfully the basics of poultry keeping and breeding never change, although there is always more to learn and new ideas to embrace.

The last few years have seen a rise in popularity of garden poultry, with many people looking to keep a few birds as pets, to provide fresh eggs for their family and to to engage children in the caring of animals and teaching them where their food comes from.
It has been lovely to see the delight and excitement on the faces of the children as they collect their new hens.
With incubators becoming more affordable, home hatching on a small scale has also become popular. The wonderment of a chick hatching from an egg never goes away no matter how old you are or how many times you have seen it.

Hopefully the joy of poultry keeping will stay with a few of these young children for years to come and they will be the future breeders.


​A Year in the Life of Annie

​
Bellecross Hens



I


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