Still Waiting and Tree With No Apples

I have been in contact with the farm in Dorset that is breeding the Domoniques. We had a chat and and it seems I need to wait a bit longer as they lost a few of their first chicks because being a rare breed the gene pool is quite small, and some were too weak. They now have two at a month old and some more in a mixed flock. They said they will definitely be able to get me three, it’s just a case of being patient. As I am the only one waiting for them, they have said they won’t sell any until I have my three. This made me feel a bit better even though it’s frustrating having to keep on waiting.

It’s quite strange going in the chicken pen and looking after it without any chickens in there. I had planted a pot of nasturtiums and a pot of herbs for them to peck at, so they need watering. There is a jasmine which was already planted in a hole in the patio and is now in their dry sheltered area so that also needs watering and a hanging basket on the outside to water. I feel like I am looking after invisible chickens! I am allowing a fine crop of dandelions for them too as long as I don’t let them flower, my garden is as weed free as I can keep it but the chickens are allowed some weeds to keep them happy.

On a completely different subject, there has been another side effect of the chicken pen that I hadn’t expected. We have just realised that our apple tree inside the chicken pen has no apples this year, even though it has had plenty in the three years since we planted it. We realised that the bees are put off by the net and mesh. They can get in because we have seen the odd one in there and it made its way out again okay, but we have seen many fly up to the mesh then fly along side and away again without going in. We think some accidentally find their way in but most are put off by the mesh. I said earlier that we would sacrifice the lowest apples to the chickens but now it looks like we will be sacrificing  all the apples for the sake of the chickens. The daft thing is this year we could have left the gate open had we known but that wouldn’t help in future years. My next door neighbour suggested we get a butterfly net and catch some bees and take them in, I think this is probably easier said than done. I can imagine either getting stung or the bees panicking to get out again and ignoring the blossom. We may try to do this but are also resigned to the fact that we may have to have an apple tree with no apples. I did do a bit of research to see if I could pollinate myself with a fine brush, but this would mean collecting pollen from another apple tree which, as I don’t know of any near by would prove rather tricky.

Apart from the lack of chickens the pen is looking great. I am so ready for my chickens, and continue to try to wait with patience and imagine them in there every time I look in. These chickens are going to be so spoiled!