Animal talk, mostly

All is quiet this evening.  Eloise came through into the porch this afternoon, where I was sitting with Ben, and stared at him until he woke.  He wanted to be friends but knew he mustn’t bother her – she left the room after a while and I took him for a walk.  I’m sure they will find their level of acceptance in a couple of days.  Mother cat was disconcerted to see him and went back to her barn.

The first hatching of chicks is over eight weeks old now and one of the young ones is trying out a rusty, squawking crow, poor thing.  I can see, as well as hear, that one is certainly a cockerel, I think a couple of others are.  I hope to rehome some of the girls soon – I’ve had to put the black hen with just two chicks in the original indoor tortoise run, covered with wire and with one end sheltered with perspex and shaded by a piece of wood.  It doesn’t sound very satisfactory and it isn’t – it’s four foot by two and is just about big enough for now, but it’ll be good when I can move them into a bigger coop.  Then there are two fairly standard coops and a bigger run and house too, that Wince made for me.  I don’t know about reintroducing the hens with the rest, nor any chicks I might keep – I’ve no idea if they will be picked on to start with.  I can, when the time comes, start by letting them all loose in the garden together, though then I’ll have the job of chivvying hens that haven’t been in the run for three months or more – i’m sure I’ll find someone I can ask for advice.  I can separate them in the hen house if necessary, as it’s divided into three parts, though the nesting boxes are all in one section – I can improvise for a while, I’m very resourceful.

I don’t want my life to revolve around all these animals, I have to admit.  Tomorrow will be devoted to getting the indoor tortoise run sorted out.  I feel depressed.  I’m sure I’ll end up giving the tortoises away – I’m fond of them in a way, but I just can’t see them as pets, I observe them as interesting creatures instead and – well, I’ve got other things to do than watch tortoises.  Still, I’ll bring them into the porch at the end of the month and keep them over the winter, at any rate. If I’m uncertain about anything, I defer the decision.

You may remember, some weeks ago, I hinted that I wouldn’t be living here alone in a while.  What had been intended was for Zig to come and stay for the summer, bringing all her animals – ponies, cats and dogs.  We were both looking forward to it so much, and so was Roses.  However, Zig needed another operation unexpectedly and the plan had to be shelved.  She is home from hospital now and we’re hoping she might be able to come in the autumn, though whether she’ll bring the ponies depends on how long she’s likely to stay.  If she does come, and if she’s well enough, I’d love to be able to arrange a get-together, since she missed out on this year’s blog party.   I hope that some of you, at least, would be able to come.

4 comments on “Animal talk, mostly

  1. tim

    I’d certainly make a point of being able to come! I’ve missed too many of your parties. Anyway, give Zig my love.

    By the way, I misread part of your second sentence as ‘she left the room after a while and took him for a walk’… That’d be progress, wouldn’t it?

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