The little duckling died today. When Jeremy went out to see the birds this afternoon the duckling had become entangled in mother hen’s feathers and, although warm, was no longer breathing. Jeremy buried the little creature and mother hen emerged from the hen house to join the flock. However she is now sitting forlornly in the nest box. Risking life and limb, I entered the goose house and stole two eggs to put under mother hen. Let’s see what happens.

As I walked back towards the house, Mabel appeared with a dead rabbit dangling from her clenched teeth. Nature, eh?