Chicken weekend

This weekend has been another busy one outside. When we were at our old house Sunday afternoons would often involve a film, maybe a James Bond repeat. This is just a mere memory now. Instead we have been putting up electric fencing, moving the chicken house, mowing the grass where the fence is going and trimming the wings of two new birds which we bought on Saturday for my birthday.The six we already had aren’t happy. Not only have they been affected by the two new arrivals, meaning a change in the pecking order, but they are now behind a fence. They can’t come and perch on the fence around the pond, shelter under the porch by the front door when it’s raining, or peck at the back door when they fancy a grape.

And I feel guilty about it. Guilty! Seriously, I need to get a grip.

The other thing pulling at my anxiety levels is the bullying that is happening between the older chickens and the new ones. The two new ones have been pecked and chased, with first one, then another going for them. It’s distressing to watch but obviously normal chicken behaviour.[The grey chicken is a Bluebelle and the black one is a Copper Black.]

And voila. The new electric fencing chicken run. The electric isn’t on yet, we need to adjust and make a few tweaks. But we are nearly there.

I’ve just been outside to take this photograph and they seem to have calmed down a bit. Long may it continue.