Tag Archives: chickens

The Christmas markets are in full swing

How come when there’s lot’s going on fate steps in and throws a few unexpected odds and ends into the mix to make things a little bit more complicated?

Last Saturday, just as I was gearing up for the Christmas market season and preparing to deal with a garden makeover my poor Elsie was attacked by a neighbour’s gun dog.   I thought she was a gonner, but she’s made of tough stuff.   Full of punctures and with a backend as bald as a coot, we brought our bedraggled and traumatised hen into the house where she has been nursed for a week.  A trip to the ben, antibiotics and anti inflammatories seem to have got us over the worst thank goodness.  Chickens do not like being confined – this one decided she was going to dig herself out one day – what a mess!  Now she’s back in the coop with her pals so we watch and hope.

In the garden I have installed another feature plant.   I’ve rescued a pittisporun which was destined for the bonfire.   It was about 8 ft high but was chopped and stuffed into my little van and fortunately seems to be taking.

Meanwhile the Christmas market season is getting well into its stride.   Today I took our signs, wreaths and Christmas goodies to Albion Place – really enjoyed it and am looking forward to next month when we’re there again.  Tomorrow it’s Green Hammerton and next week Chapel Allerton Lights switch on.

Here’s the schedule so far!  Come and say hello if you can make any of them…..

 

Sunday 21 Nov

 

Christmas Fair

Main Furniture Company, The Green
Green Hammerton, York, North Yorkshire YO26 8BQ
10am – 5pm
Wednesday 24th November Chapel Allerton Lights Switch On Stainbeck Corner, Chapel Allerton 6pm
Saturday 27 Nov Woodhouse Grove Christmas Fair Woodhouse Grove School, Apperley Bridge, 

BD10 ONR

 

10am – 1pm
Sunday 28th November Hob House Farm Christmas Fair Hob House Farm, Holmsley Lane, South Kirkby WF9 3JB 10am – 4pm
Tuesday 30th November Ramada Encore Christmas Market Whinby Road
Dodworth
Barnsley
S75 3LF
6 – 9pm
Friday 3rd December St Gemma’s Christmas Fair 329 Harrogate Road, Moortown, Leeds LS17 6QD 3pm – 8pm
Saturday 4th December St Gemma’s Christmas Fair 329 Harrogate Road, Moortown, Leeds LS17 6QD 10am – 3pm
Friday 10th December Leeds University Union Leeds University, Leeds 1 10am – 3pm TBC
Tuesday 14th December Christmas Market & Gospel Choir 20 Stainbeck Lane
Chapel Allerton
Leeds, LS7 3QY
6.00 pm – 9pm
Saturday 18th December Artsmix at Albion Place Leeds City Centre 11am – 5pm
Sunday 19th December Pure Genius Craft Centre 3-5 Grape Lane
York YO1 7HU
10am – 4pm

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Will they be OK without me?

Well I’m sure they will be fine fut my new charges are going to have to manage till tea time all on their own.   I’m off to Green Hammerton with a van full of plants for their food fair – meanwhile the chicks are going to have to sort themselves out.

Elsie, the old hand was first out of there this morning, still protesting at having to be cooped up with all these new girls.  She’s been clucking in disgust since last night!  They were a bit surprised that they were allowed out again, but the little ex-batts gingerly tripped down the ramp and into the sunshine for a second day.

We had a little tragedy yesterday as well.   One of the baby wrens had fallen out of the nest.   I tried to pop it back in but it was promptly chucked out again. I can’t believe they’re nesting in my shed – right by the door – so they’ve got me in and out all the time but they seem perfectly content.  Mummy shoots in and out through the hole in the side and the rest of the little ones, I think there are 4 left, are squeaking with their beaks open.

Ok well fingers crossed they’re still here when I get home….

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Cluck Cluck

Am very excited today.  I’ve just applied for some ex battery hens.  I shan’t get them till April because we have to get a new home ready for them, but I have to have approval first from the hen rehomers.   I think it’ll be a great addition to the garden and I’m looking forward to seeing how they get on in the real world having had such a miserable existence for their first year of life.   Everyone tells me they’re easy to look after and have quite funny little characters of their own – I just hope they get on with cats – but I gather they do.

Poor little things – but they don’t look like this for long, theyget back to normal and fully feathered pretty quickly.   Unbeleiveably I found a website where you can buy little knitted jackets for them.  Maybe I could crochet one?

I’ve also been planning what to order from the seed catalogues.  Seed potatoes of course and lots of veg seeds, and some flowers, but the other project and which I’ve ordered seed for, is the meadow cum wild flower patch.  Currently not the pretty sight I hope it will be.  There are lots of meadow mixes available and I’m going for a very average one to start with to see what happens.

February is going to be busy I think……

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