Getting into a routine

I have really been enjoying being a hen owner.  It is so wonderful to sit and watch these sweet and funny creatures explore our garden and make new discoveries.  We are trying to train them to eat out of our hands.  So far the Scots Dumpy has remained aloof, but she does come closer to us now.  

Our two Australorps, Rosie at the back and Matilda in the front

Now that our white hen is laying hard shelled eggs, she wants to get up into the nest box more often and our Scots Dumpy Bizzy Lizzy just won't let her.  She sits at the top of the ramp and blocks the entrance.  Poor Didee has been squawking a lot in protest.

Our Scots Dumpy is a wee besom!

We had also noticed earlier in the week that Didee had a lot of drops of blood on her chest, head and back feathers.  The other three hens were very interested in this and were pecking at her feathers.  We tried to inspect her and the house to see what the cause was and found blood on the bowl that Didee often perches upon as well as some on the perch.  We think she may have caught her foot on one of the hawthorn bush thorns and has been cleaning herself with her foot.  It did rain later that day, so it all washed off her feathers thank goodness.  But a white hen with blood on her is not a good idea - very attractive to the other birds.

This week we have regularly been getting three eggs a day!  It has been just wonderful to have such lovely eggs from our own pets.  The yolks are so bright and orange!