Hen Tales

I mentioned in a previous post that I was planning to refresh my little laying flock, and indeed I did. A trip to the North of the island saw us return with three young Rhode Island Red hens. They are finding their way around and are almost settled in with the rest of the girls. Two of them are laying already, which is very welcome.

There has been trouble with the cockerels, though. After two years of relatively peaceful toleration, Elvis has decided that Cliff is out. It happened very suddenly - just yesterday, I found Cliff hiding over in the croft, looking very agitated and dazed. If Elvis catches sight of him, he goes tearing after poor Cliff, who flies off in fright. I haven't been able to catch him, but he looks quite battered and I think he might have lost an eye. If that is the case, it might have to be the end for him, as his life will be made miserable now that Elvis sees him as a rival, and a one-eyed cockerel would struggle to keep a flock safe from predators. Poor Cliff, he certainly cuts a fairly pathetic figure picking his way through the mud there. Mind you, he was looking a bit better today, and  still crowing loudly and defiantly. We'll see what happens in due course, but at least it means that Spring is on the way!