Windy hill chickens - first flock(s) of my own

[kattabelly]

Nicest day we've had for a while, so I kicked most of them out to do some work in the fruit plot. I'll try to give them an hour in there first thing tomorrow too.

Chicks were outside all day again and worked out the back gate with a bit of help but it's impossible to get a decent photo of them. Twenty days old and they're noticeably more independent than they were even a day ago. They start getting cold later in the afternoon but happily toddle off to do their own thing for a bit while they're warm.

Great camouflage

Quick break for a Jurassic Park re-enactment

Brought some chickweed up from the polytunnel (there's none left on the chicken plot) and that was treated with deep suspicion even after the shrieks of terror had subsided

Last ones only went to roost ss+59 tonight. The sun almost disappears much earlier now - it hits the peak of Cuilags (the hill above and just to the right of the polytunnel) and then follows the slope down, just barely peeking out as it sets. I've not noticed if it gets much above the peak of Ward Hill, on the left, earlier in the day.

 

[kattabelly]

Just noticed the excellent example of Light Sussex "brick wearing fluffy bloomers" build in that first pic

 

[kattabelly]

Honk honk

• kattabelly
• Friday at 12:48 PM

 

[kattabelly]

No early morning fruit plot excursion yesterday - I'd completely forgotten I have a regular thing on Saturday mornings because it's been cancelled the last few weeks. Still, that does give me a chance to notice how early some of them are getting up. A few birds were already milling about in the faintest suggestion of daylight when I got there, 80 minutes before sunrise. Putting food out soon woke the rest of them up, so I'm not sure how much longer the rest would've slept in otherwise. In the middle of summer they'll get up in their own time, once it's light, and just ignore me pottering outside before then.

Wet Saturday afternoon but today was nice until late afternoon when the rain squalls hit. Opened up the front gate and everyone spent a few hours out in the field, except for Rognvald's group who chose to take advantage of the best dust bathing spots being unoccupied and settled in for a lengthy group nap. Even the chicks came out, though she mostly kept them in the shelter of a neighbouring fenced plot away from the main group.

Dotty and Dolly have been doing a lot of low-altitude flying practice in the field which is lovely to see but also quite funny since rocks aren't exactly built for flight. Unlike a certain someone...