Thanks Jools - My allotment chickens are now safely pegged down!

After a message in the comments section from 'Jools' I thought I had better double check that KoKKo, Adelaide and Ginger were safe and secure in their run up the allotment.

Last year in the bottom barn there were a family of foxes, and T had told me the other day that there were foxes up his end.

When I moved the girls up to their meadow, as an extra precaution, I pegged down the metal skirt that is advertised as fox proof - just to be on the safe side and in case the ground was not perfectly level. You can tell I am a worrier as far as my babes are concerned.

Driving up there every rut and bump was a tear jerker, but I knew I would not have slept if I hadn't have checked that I had pegged down the narrow ends by the hen house and where the wire finishes.

It was freezing with a really cold wind - we have been warned of an overnight frost would you believe.



I opened the run to give the girls a stroke but they couldn't wait to rush out to the corner of long grass, chattering happily amongst themselves.

I had put pegs in at intervals around the skirt but not at the vulnerable places so it was a good job that we checked. OH stuck some in for me - for my peace of mind.

I am pretty sure that a fox can't get to them, as they are surrounded by flexi chicken fencing, which I can electrify (but it is a bit expensive to do so at the moment) and now that the skirt is pegged, there is no way that a fox can get in - I hope!

There were three more huge eggs, they seem to be getting even bigger lately. We couldn't stay long for obvious reasons, but it was nice to have a cuddle with all of them, and they were happy to oblige - and I left them a handful of corn mix as a treat.

Whilst up there, I took time to pick some fresh sorrel and spinach for the banties. It amazes me that the rabbits haven't touched it, now that the bed has been weeded and uncovered, but when it was covered they tried their best to get at it, even chewing holes in the netting!

Back home Pumpkin and Freckles have the run of the entire pen to themselves as Dilly Dilly is definitely broody.

She is getting pretty good at attacking me now and has mastered the art of pecking the bit of flesh between my fingers or finger and thumb and hanging onto it for dear life! She makes a really scary noise too - well it would scare the life out of another bantam, but it really is intimidating and the way she fluffs herself up has to be seen to be believed.

I am going through the daily ritual of being pecked and lifting her off the nest; not to rescue the solitary egg that is there, but to ensure that she eats and drinks and gets a bit of exercise - I have to lock her out for half an hour. She looks a bit distressed at first then wanders off to eat and drink and have a little walk, before going back in.

I suppose that she will be doing this for the next three weeks - unless she realises that it is all a waste of time.

I don't know who is laying the egg, or if it is Dilly and the other two are put off by her.

I will have to have a look around as see if they have made a nest in a corner somewhere.

At the moment, apart from taking things easier, I am working on a present for my eldest grand daughter. I hope to take it on Sunday, so I just have to get well enough to make the journey.

I know that I can go another day, but I had set my heart on seeing her and the other two before her birthday.

I will post a photo of what I have put together after I have delivered it - in case she looks here and it spoils the surprise!

I forgot to mention that on Monday night at flower club I won a little bunch of flowers - and here they are at home.