Our pet Pekin Bantams & Dolly

The Pekins have settled in really well and the kids adore them.
They make such nice pets and are only about 9 inches tall and they have the most delightful feathered feet.
Amber and Fenella haven't laid any eggs yet but we're hoping they will be fertile if they do, then we'll have our own little family of them as Amber is broody.







Dolly the pony had her booster jabs today for flu and tetanus and also had her teeth done this morning. She was really well behaved but I suppose at her age she's had it done a fair few times in the past and knows what to expect. Ruth had also put on her quilted leg warmers to keep her joints nice and toasty warm in this bitter cold weather and also held Dolly while Eve, the vet filed away at Dollys teeth. I propped myself up on the barn as I'm on both crutches and in a crappy way today.

We've moved a large guinea pig cage that has a run below it next to the hen pen for when Rita's feathers are back. She will be able to associate with the flock without being menaced and replucked. I've posted a wanted message on Lincs-Pets4Life if anyone has a hen saddle I could have or borrow. It may protect her from the vicious mob.

Our ex batts, ex barn hens and free rangers managed to lay they grand total of 2 eggs today!

Today- New years Eve

Hubby has been busy today beautifying the playhouse converted for hens. He'd previously ended up doing a rushed night time boarding window holes (originally they'd had perspex in but that had since broken) when we took in 20 hens at short notice. They were rehomed but we thought we may as well use it as a permanent hen/duck house so the windows have now been done properly with board covered with opaque megazorb bags which are light coloured so look like windows and the frame of the playhouse still has a cross to make them look like georgian windows.

Tomorrow he'll be building them a mezzanine using old bed slats as they don't like perches but a mezzanine with an access ladder will give them more space and something to do, especially as the ducks have now moved in there too.

We're keeping the kennel which the ducks were in ready for when we get our Pekin Bantam family. I have put a wanted ad on Bird Trader and have put one on Pekin Bantams forum today hoping someone will have a lavender hen or 2 for us, would even consider a lemon or buff hen as I've since seen pictures and think they are adorable too.

The hens only laid 4 eggs today, the least they've laid. I put it down to Mark messing about in the playhouse. The white hens feel that is home but didn't come in to lay....plus they freeranged the garden until their porridge was ready and I imagine that was way more exciting than producing an egg.

At bed time (hen bed time) we had to do a rearrange again as they were all stacked in the small house including the ducks again. The only 4 in the playhouse were 3 white hens and Lizzy. Luckily the others moved easily with no fuss, and Mark carried the feed buckets in.......although he's whining because he hurt his leg in the playhouse today....it's a mardy man thing, I reckon. If not I'll take him to hosp tomorrow but I assume it's just muscular because he was "cooped up" (excuse the pun) while redoing the hens playhouse windows.

Geez I just realised it's New Years Eve (so I added it to the title, lol) That means at midnight the dogs will go mental, the kids will wake up, the hens and ducks will probably crap themselves and all because of alcohol fuelled revellers who think that a New Year means wonderful new things, lol. Well not the way the economy is going....I heard Adams kids clothes company has gone into administration as well as Woolworths and Zavvi and there are a few more companies queued up to go bankrupt too. It's not looking good! But then I forecast this in 2003 when the house prices started going up and up.....

Here's to a totally sober New Years eve, prob on my own with lousy TV as Hubby will nod off and I'll be shushing the dogs at midnight and he'll sleep thru it (as usual, lol)

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL

I've decided I'm going to try and get pictures of all the animals we have tomorrow. That'll keep me out of mischief while Hubby is building in the hen house.

Our hens and pony use bedding from Sundown Products