I looked at the forecast on Sunday morning, and it was pretty bad. So, at breakfast, I suggested to LT that he might change his plans and leave for Reading that afternoon, rather than Monday morning when it would be getting really wet and blustery. He said, in that case, he might as well leave after breakfast and have time to shop for food (most shops here shut at 4pm on a Sunday as they’re limited to 6 hours trading: this doesn’t apply to small shops). So that’s what he did and he had a quicker than usual run, because there were no HGVs on the roads.
I’d thought I’d go to London to view an auction, but I didn’t fancy that in the rain, so I thought I’d go on Tuesday instead. Now that it’s Monday and I have to make up my mind, I still haven’t done so. Allowing half an hour each way to the station, an hour and a half each way to London (bit more, in fact), an hour travelling each way to South Kensington and walking to the saleroom, all for an hour looking at china that I’m not going to bid for, seems less and less appealing.
The black chickens have settled in splendidly, but the others aren’t happy at all. They spend most of their time in their sleeping quarters – though they’re coming out to eat, they aren’t that unhappy. I’ve put a sheet over the open part of their run, so that they can come out there without being looked at by the newbies, but they don’t do that much. I do have a plan – I’m thinking of giving it another day or two, then removing the dominant black chicken, letting all the others out together and keeping DBC in the coop for a couple of days. With luck, this should mean that the rest of them get used to each other without conflict. Then I put the DBC with the rest. She should have lost a bit of nerve, having been shut up on her own (within sight of the others, I don’t want her unhappy) and, even if there’s a brief squabble, it’ll only be between her and whichever is the leader of my flock. I’m not quite sure which of two is, actually.
It might be best if I put a blackout curtain up on the shed window and put her in with the rest overnight to start with, as they are docile in the dark, but that depends on getting it dark enough. The shed had one small perspex window, we removed the perspex and nailed on chicken wire instead, for increased ventilation. If anyone has thoughts, advice is welcomed.
My timekeeping goes to pot when LT is away. I almost forgot breakfast and had a quick bowl of muesli when I remembered, then it was 3 o’clock by the time I had lunch. Now 6 and I haven’t had anything to drink apart from coffee with Rose, which isn’t a particularly good idea … not drinking anything else, that is. I don’t see anything wrong with drinking coffee with Rose. I’m not that bad an influence. Tonight I have hake, asparagus and shiitake mushrooms. And have put a bottle of New Zealand Pinot Blanc in the fridge. It should not be thought that I don’t take care of myself, however much nicer it is when LT and I are taking care of each other.
Are you over-thinking the chicken thing?
Just let them get on with it. You can never second-guess chickens.
I suspect the hiding indoors has more to do with the weather than chicken wars too.
You’ve probably already decided to stay at home and not make the trip up to London. I’ve found that when I start thinking about how LONG a trip is going to take, I really don’t want to go. Of course, this is a necessity when I’m in Los Angeles because every thing is measured in how LONG it takes to get someplace.
I haven’t a clue about chickens since all of my dealings with them come wrapped in cling film from the market!
I try to take care of myself, too, when I’m alone, but as you say, it is so much nicer to be a couple taking care of each other! xoxox
I didn’t go up to London, as you thought, Savannah – I was interested, but not enough. I’ve got a lot done here instead.
I expect you’re right, BW, but such a lot has gone badly wrong with the chickens in the past year that I’m really unnerved. Some of it, I haven’t written about at all. At least three incidents that have been really upsetting as well as those I have. I don’t think it’s the weather, as there was one really wet, windy day and one bright and sunny day and their behaviour was the same – but it’s improving now.