What’s it like having two females fussing over you like mother hens?

The three little chicks daren’t step out of line with two mothers watching over them. Mr Bantie cockerel keeps on escaping into the garden, perhaps to get away from being hen pecked.

He seems to return happily after a short time away.

Mrs Silkie and her chicks have moved to the quarters she shared with their late father.

She has started laying again but I hope she won’t get broody until the spring.

All the adolescent birds are feeding well but not yet laying. One of them (the biggest) is definitely a cockerel who may not be here for too much longer.

The slightly younger birds in the adjacent run are rather timid but very pretty. I often catch the smallest and give her a cuddle and stroke her silky feathers. I’m not sure if she likes this but I do!

Mother and son (but maybe daughter) are now in an open run in the orchard. I really hope the chick turns out to be a female as she has lovely colouring and fully feathered Bantam feet. Mother and chick are quite devoted to each other.

One more Maran hen is still sitting on some eggs. They are due to hatch in two weeks or less. Both goslings tried to bite my hand this morning and one was hissing which indicates that they are both ganders. We will have to wait until next year and hope that we can tell if they begin to lay eggs. If anyone knows an easier way to sex geese please let me know. Male or female, they are beautiful birds and they don’t frighten me …… yet.