New Chickens.

What a lovely weekend we are all having. The weather is perfect. Lovely hot sunny days, with just a slight sea breeze.

Yesterday, 3 boys, baby girl, their grandparents, (my parents) and myself trundled off to a Rare and traditional breed poultry auction.

After the recent visit from the mink and previous visits from the fox, I needed to re stock my flock. All my hen houses are now fox/mink proof and ready for some new residents.

I love the poultry auctions. The adrenaline of the bidding, the noise of the birds and all the different characters there. From elderly farmers, with their weathered faces, leaning on their stick putting the world to rights with their fellow farmers, to the 'new' country dwellers, who have moved to the country from towns and cities, and in their minds already know more than 'real' farmers ever will!! Who talk too loudly, dress impeccably, and wear too much scent! All are a wonder to see and hear. Cages upon cages of every type of poultry you could ever imagine - along with some you couldn't! Standard poultry, bantams, domestic ducks, wild fowl, turkeys, geese, pheasants, peacocks, quail and doves. All trying to be heard over each other! I love it!

We got our bidding number and a catalogue - with over 2000 lots in it! A coffee for the grown ups and hot chocolate for the children, gave us a chance to peruse the catalogue and mark the lots we fancied a look at. Drinks finished, we had just enough time to check out the birds we were interested in - just to check they were in good health - 2 legs/eyes/wings etc!! Plus, to make sure there had not been a change to the catalogue listing.

With Baby Girl in my arms and boys close by, we made our way into the scrum of bidders, all staring expectantly up at the auctioneer on his podium. The first lot number I was interested in was near the beginning of the auction. She is a French Copper Maran, who lays eggs with shells the colour of chocolate. Typical, there were 4 other people interested in her!! I try to set myself a budget, and try not to exceed it. I bought the hen for £1 over my budget!(£26).

There was a long gap until the next lot numbers which had caught my eye. Plenty of time to look at all of the other lots, to give Baby Girl a breast feed and a chance for more people watching.

The next lots which took my fancy were a pair of Cream Legbars who are 15 weeks old and 4 Cream Legbar cross pullets at 12 weeks old. Legbars lay eggs with blue shells and are becoming increasingly popular! I think, as the 2 lots were only young birds, not many people were interested, as most want things which will lay or breed almost at once. I managed to buy these 2 lots for £4 and £8! Way under my allowed budget!!

There were only about 10 lots between the Legbars and the next lots I wanted to see go through. Whilst waiting, we listened to the other birds being sold. None of them making the usual huge amounts of money. I presume there were not many people there as the World Cup has just started and England were playing USA. Just before the 2 Blue Ma ran hens I quite fancied, there was a single black German Langshan hen waiting for the hammer to fall. Nobody was interested in her. No bidders. OK, so she looked a little dishevelled and has black spooky eyes, but that is still no reason to be unloved!! I bought her for £1!!!

We bought 2 Blue Maran hens and 2 Rhode Rock pullets and that was that! All done. Bacon rolls all round for lunch. Yum!!

Everything paid for, time to load up and head for home. Easier said than done!! For whatever reason, all the birds I bought were in the top cages. Which meant stretching on tippie toes to attempt to grab the birds before they made a bid for freedom out through the open cage. On the floor of the cages were wood chippings - that was until the chickens panicked at being grabbed, and whilst flapping madly shavings flew out of the cages, all over me! In my eyes, up my nose, in my mouth, in my hair and down my t shirt!! Great!! Baring in mine I had bought 6 lots, that was an awful lot of shavings! I looked like a snowman!! Ho hum!

After a peaceful night, all the adult birds were let out to roam the garden and farm. They have fitted in a treat! Boris, my cockerel, thinks it's his birthday, with all these new ladies for him to look after! He has spent most of today showing them around, calling them to feed at the trough, and to come running when he finds a tasty grub!!

The younger chickens are in an arc at the moment, just until they grow a little. This way I can feed them growers pellets and keep them safe.

I'm pretty sure they will enjoy their new life with us. I'll keep you posted!!