Soooooo Excited!!!

[bluemoon]

Well, my first chickens are coming to my lovely new plot on Wednesday and I'm starting to get excited. I wrote chickens rather than hens because actually they are boys and are Lynda's Coco and Buttercup. A few lady friends are arriving on Good Friday to keep them company. Me and Lynda have been planning this for a couple of months, since back when there was a possibility that Pingu was a boy too, but I swore her to secrecy because I was feeling quite superstitious about it and was worried that if we told anyone then the whole thing would fall apart, as at the time I was still waiting for approval for the plot.
I had hoped to be ready for them by the middle of March, but I always make plans on the assumption of perfect weather and it never happens like that. Anyway, after a bit of a rush because Coco is learning to crow for England, we'll be collecting them on Wednesday afternoon... I can't wait!

[lynda66]

neither can i, 2 cocks in the kitchen might be fun when they babies but when they start at 6am it's not too great lol ... and darling son won't be too chuffed when he finds that i've had to cover them with his duvet and sleeping bag to keep it dark till a reasonable time

i'm actaually jealous, coco will be a beautiful boy when he finishes getting his boy feathers, he's getting more gorgeous by the day, who knows what buttercup will look like with the black feathers in his tail but the main thing is, they will be happy and not dinner

cue gratuitous chicken pics

[Glutton4...]

Oh that is good news! They're really beautiful now - well done Lynda

[MaureenHall]

Lynda you've done a great job rearing them all and they look absolutely stunning! I'm so glad Coco and Buttercup are going to a lovely home and not to the dinner table (yet?). Thanks for giving them a good home bluemoon

[lynda66]

still in debate on whether elvira/elvis is a boy or not, guess i'll know if i hear crowing after wednesday lol

[MaureenHall]

By the looks of the girls, I bet it won't be too much longer before they start giving you some lovely fresh eggs

[HayleyB]

They are stunning all credit to you Lynda

[lynda66]

By the looks of the girls, I bet it won't be too much longer before they start giving you some lovely fresh eggs

they only 15 1/2 weeks yet so i'm not holding my breath though i do think coco was trying to get romantic with pingu today .... though she ran off squealing lol ....

hopefully they will look after their new girls and have lots of beautiful babies

[frias]

They all look lovely and I'm really glad the boys have a good home to go to as I do so like a happy ending.

[SarzWix]

That's fabulous news for both of you!!
And how sneaky not to tell us you were plotting

They do look well Lynda, they're obviously happy chicks
Does that mean you'll have room for some more when they've left home?!

[MaureenHall]

Do you want the incubator back? I've got a lovely squeaky chick to go with it that cheeps when you press its tummy - encourages the hatchlings

[bluemoon]

Lynda you've done a great job rearing them all and they look absolutely stunning! I'm so glad Coco and Buttercup are going to a lovely home and not to the dinner table (yet?). Thanks for giving them a good home bluemoon

They'll never be dinner, Maureen. I've been looking at photos of those little guys since they emerged from the egg, I couldn't do it, the whole point in me taking them was to save them from a permanent home in someone's freezer.

I'm one of those slightly weird people who loves cockerels, I love their plumage, their swagger, I even love the noise. I'm probably turning into (if I'm not already) one of those batty old women who'll end up with hundreds. It might be a tad noisier, but at least there won't be the smell of cat pee.

[Hilary B]

They'll never be dinner, Maureen. I've been looking at photos of those little guys since they emerged from the egg, I couldn't do it, the whole point in me taking them was to save them from a permanent home in someone's freezer.

I'm one of those slightly weird people who loves cockerels, I love their plumage, their swagger, I even love the noise. I'm probably turning into (if I'm not already) one of those batty old women who'll end up with hundreds. It might be a tad noisier, but at least there won't be the smell of cat pee.

There may well be blood! If you have several cockerels they WILL fight, as well as all trying to 'have the last word' in crowing. At one time we had Cuddles, the mis-marked blue cochin (I suppose these days you might call him a 'splash') the buff cochin, a rhodie and a bantam. The bantam was more aggressive than all the rest put together. The 2 cochins were peaceable, but the other 2 fought a LOT!

[lynda66]

these 2 have the odd tussle at the moment they are a bit horrid when i let them out of the playpen in the morning to go with the girls, but thats cos i'm having to seperate em to keep them totally dark to stop them waking the neighbours at 6am, but they both snuggle up at night, and settle down after 5 mins, it helps they've been brought up together and there is some brotherly love there

i love the sound of them, but not at 6am lol

[lynda66]

Do you want the incubator back? I've got a lovely squeaky chick to go with it that cheeps when you press its tummy - encourages the hatchlings

nope, i'm gonna be good till i get the lottie