We were concerned about Major, the light Sussex with the large red comb.  She seemed listless yesterday and spent most of the time sitting.  She began today in the same way so we googled ” listless hen” and consulted our very old copy of “backyard poultry keeping”.  Both indicated that Major was “egg bound” and, in fact,  the very large eggs that we have been used to collecting every couple of days seem to have been absent for the last week.  

Our friends arrived from London just in time for Opa ( as his grandsons call him) to help Jeremy give Major a warm soapy bath and abdominal massage followed by a drying with a towel.  She certainly seems more comfortable, active and has an appetite again….but still no egg.

Before our friends arrived we began to build a “new home” in the poultry run.  We made quite good progress but decided to leave the roof until we have levelled out the frame.  We expect to have new tenants quite soon!

After a leisurely lunch our youngest guest fell fast asleep whilst his brothers, mum and grandma went to meet the cows.