Forward planning

Having finally come to the difficult decision that I need to re-home Pepper and Dotty I felt I needed to move forward and start planning the future of my flock.

The recently doubled run would now be a huge space for four little girls and I would like to add two more bantams. From my recent research I know how difficult it is to find bantams within my local area. I remembered that the lady at the farm in Amersham where I got Honey and Amber from last year had lots of bantam brown leghorns which are another pure breed and look like a miniature version of Bluebell (now Blossom). They are pretty, robust, good egg layers and have bare legs. These are all the qualities that I like.

I decided to give her a ring and see what she had. The news was good. She has many chicks ranging from a of couple weeks old to a month old. She said this meant in a months time she would have some at an age to sex and to sell. The timing could be really good for me. I explained the situation and said I would keep in touch. She said when I was ready she would be able to sell me a couple at about two months old. This would be really good as it’s easier to bond when they are young and I now have the separate part of the run ready to keep them in until they are big enough to integrate.

I am still getting upset about parting with Pepper and Dotty and have been giving more thought to how to re-home them for a future that would be best for them. I haven’t yet heard back from the animal sanctuary but have started wondering if it would be better if I could re-home them on a farm. I think they are a breed that would love the space on a farm rather than being contained in a domestic run. I am going to call a few local farms tomorrow and run it by them. I have no idea if this something that a farm would consider but I feel it’s worth asking the question.

Finally I have to remind myself why I am doing this so I took a few photos of Amber and Honey today. The girls have been separated now for three weeks and I have reduced their time together at bedtime. I had seen Pepper peck at Amber’s bare head as soon as I put them together and it was looking quite red. I now only put them together for fifteen minutes before bedtime when they are totally occupied with the bedtime routine. They come out at about five o’clock in the morning at the moment and I have been going out to separate them at about half past six.

Amber’s bare neck

Amber’s poor plucked head

Honey’s bare neck

I just can’t let this continue any longer. I got my first girls two years ago and this started eighteen months ago when we lost Treacle. I have tried everything to stop this and really don’t think that I have any other option now. I want to get back to having a happy flock and being able to enjoy them again. I want a flock with feathers. I know that I have to go on with this until I have the best outcome for all my girls.