A momentous day

I think last night was sort of the last straw for me with the ongoing problem with my girls.

Amber was looking unwell again and I knew she was heading towards her next egg. I made sure she had eaten by offering her sunflower seeds away from the flock and decided to sit in with the girls at bedtime while they were together to keep an eye on her.

Amber was first to settle on the coop roof with her wings down and her eyes closing. She dozed on the coop roof. Pepper jumped to the coop roof and started pecking at her bare head while she was sleeping which was upsetting to see.

I shooed Pepper away and lifted Amber into the nest box. I settled her in and hoped that she would stay put which she did. I stayed until the coop door shut and then put all the girls in.

This morning as it was quite hot we had our bedroom window open and from half past five until half past six when I went out to the girls we could hear Pepper shouting. She doesn’t seem happy since we separated the girls yet this shouting is while they are still together.

I went out and Amber was back to her self again. I then found the remains of a soft shelled egg that had mostly been eaten.

I separated the girls and had a think about what I could do to speed up re-homing Pepper and Dotty as I felt we really couldn’t go on like this much longer. It’s been really getting us down and seeing Amber’s bare head pecked is worse than seeing the feathers pulled if that is possible.

We get our disposables for our catering business from a company based on a huge farm near us. They have lots of chickens, ducks and geese as well as all sorts of other animals. We wondered if they would take on our two girls. The more I thought about it the more I felt it would be much better suited to our two girls. They would be able to stay together and in a huge flock with acres of space I felt sure they would have a happier life and soon forget about pulling feathers.

It was a just a case of whether the farmer would be willing to take them. I called her but couldn’t get an answer so my husband called our guy there and he talked to her. He said she couldn’t see a problem but would like to talk to me first.

I finally got through to her in the afternoon and she sounded really nice. I explained everything to her and she said she had lots of experience with re-homing other chickens and the odd cockerel and felt it would work out fine. We arranged to take Pepper and Dotty to her that afternoon.

The farmer was lovely. She had a big barn with perches which she keeps the chickens in overnight and had put about fifteen hens (bluebells) in already and one cockerel to start the integrations. She said this method had always worked for her. We let Pepper and Dotty into the barn and they went straight to the perch. She said she would keep them here for four days to get used to home and their friends was her term. She would then let them out and said they usually scratch in the compost pile first before exploring.

She said she would look after them to the best of her ability and has loved her chickens all her life. I had said I wouldn’t cry but went into the barn to say goodbye and yes I cried.

The farmer said she knew how I felt because she has been there but the girls will have a free range life with her and will be well looked after.

It’s been hard but I know it’s for the best. Jackie is my friend and ten minutes away from me so she lets me know how Bluebell/Blossom is doing and I visit. I thought of asking the farmer if I can ring and check up on them but decided this is different. They will have a new life and I can’t ask a busy farmer for updates. I must let go and know that she will do her best by them and I must move on.

My husband said he will look for them when he goes for disposable tableware but we feel we must trust her to do what she has done all her life and we are sure Pepper and Dotty will love a farm way of life once they have adjusted.

For us it is a new chapter. Two years down the line all my original girls have moved on and we are moving forward with a new run and the prospect of adding new girls to our flock.

Our little girls now have the entire space and no one to pluck them. I look forward to seeing them regain their feathers and bloom and maybe without the stress Amber may once again improve.

We are looking forward to a future of happy chicken keeping with happy chickens.