'Hello', this ewe seems to be saying to me, 'have you got anything tasty to eat' ... they ask me this everytime I go over to the chickens, and yes they get the occasional cabbage leaf.
The others were being sensible and were in the shade at the top of the hill, soon the limited shade will be gone and the paddock will be in full sun, so it makes sense to keep cool while you can. The one that looks a bit pink has just been treated after am attack of fly strike, I'm glad Will caught it before it got too bad.
The chickens were hiding from the sun under their wet weather/sun shade, it's just a piece of wood leaning on and attached to the fence. It's their favorite place to be whatever the weather, and seems to be their meeting and preening place after breakfast and then throughout the day.
I put the little plastic drinker in the other day as I was giving them some Apple Cider Vinegar and I can't put it into the galvanised drinkers as it reacts with the metal, so when I want to dose them with this all the plastic drinkers are called into action. Chickens are funny creatures they love anything red, so this is currently the place to go for your drink, so I am spending a lot of time topping up this diddy little drinker while they ignore the big one right next to it..
Keeping cool in the henhouse, but still cuddling up together are new best mates Ebony, the Black Pekin bantam and Jill, the Lavender Pekin bantam.
I put them in one nest box together the other week out of frustration, as all four nest boxes were full of broody birds, so putting the two littlest in together while frequently chucking out the large Black Marans was the only way to have any room for the layers to get on with laying their eggs in peace everyday. They've really hit it off and when they do get up and go out to stretch their legs and have something to eat and drink they do it together, and then make their way back to a nesting box ... they don't mind which one as long as they can sit together, and inside the henhouse with both the front door and the window open it is lovely and cool all day.
Sue xx
