Good Morning!

With a severe weather warning in our area and torrential rain falling this morning didn't look like it was going to get off to a good start.

But as usual the life of a smallholder is full of surprises and as I prepared our early morning coffee and the bottles of milk for the lambs I heard a noise from the incubator.

These two had hatched during the night and a third is pecking in a bid for freedom. We were keen for these to hatch as they are eggs from our oldest hen, Devil hen who is over eight years old and still laying eggs, nice light blue ones. She has survived rat attacks, fox attacks, managed to cope with ever increasing numbers of dogs, different cockerels and moved house with us.

Hopefully at least two out of the three will survive to adulthood and one at least will be a hen to replace Devil when she shuffles off her mortal coil in a manner that befits such an ancient bird. Asleep on her perch not as a snack for foxy.