Mrs Bantam and her 11 chicks have settled well into their new house and larger run

The other hen and her four chicks are enjoying the space but not sure about the neighbours

I snuck up on this bunny as I went on an early evening stroll Click below

Often it’s an unglamorous job of cleaning out a hen house

And every day involves watering all the pots and hanging baskets and hours of weeding. The goats appreciate the variety of weeds and that makes it all worthwhile.

The day started early and well with sunshine at 7 am. I opened up the bantam and her 11 chicks and admired them. Each a perfect and unique individual.

Then I went to check on one of the Pom Pom girls who went broody a few days ago. She is now sitting on three GOOSE eggs, bless her.

Then it was time to check on the other Mrs Silkie who has been sitting in the ark on 8 eggs for two and a half weeks. When I opened the ark door Mrs Silkie was off her nest, her food containers were upended and there were white,Silkie feathers everywhere.

A rat or some other creature had burrowed into the ark, fought with the bird and escaped with just one of the 8 eggs. She must have fought hard. However the remaining eggs were cold so we picked up the hen and put her back with her three suitors in the Silkie run. She has chosen to stay in the Silkie hen house (recovering?) for the time being.

My niece spotted this multicoloured creature on the asparagus – the unimaginatively called asparagus beetle. Luckily we aren’t pulling up any more spears this year.

Trying to feed their hungry nestlings

I’m hoping that my lovely niece doesn’t read the blog and if some of her friends and family are reading then please keep shtum! Also a big Happy Birthday to my dear friend Joy who is celebrating a big birthday tomorrow – in lockdown, of course. Mine was in lockdown and son’s 40th in lockdown. Plenty of reasons to have a party when circumstances allow. In the meantime we raise a glass to one and all and celebrate health and home and happiness. Never to be taken for granted again.

My thanks, in particular, to the cheerful care workers at Mum’s home who just got a well deserved pay rise. At the end (why not during?) we need to reassess our values. Hospital and care home staff – whether they be cleaners or cooks or medics- should be paid more and their work valued for what it is – essential to the running of a civilised society. When I was a child my father used to expound the view that dustmen and those who did the dirtiest and least desirable jobs in society should be paid more than others who never get their hands soiled. He was and he is correct and it’s time for us to put our money and taxes where our mouths are.

And don’t even get me started on the subject of plastic, global warming and the exploitation of the developing world and of animals!!!!

One of the chicks found a hole in the chicken wire this morning. It got out but couldn’t work out how to get back. I caught it and returned it to its frantic mother. She is now keeping all 11 chicks very close.