Nerves of steel

A really early start today as it was Tracey's birthday treat, a trip to the poultry market. Plan was to restock the foxes larder with nice plump hens who will, hopefully, lay us some eggs before being eaten by the fox. It was without doubt a huge learning experience mixing with the poultry fraternity today, some of them live and breathe fancy birds, and by the look and especially the smell of some of them they definitely lived with their hobby.

I am feeling quite pleased with myself as I took on these swarthy types and for once actually got some bargains. How do I know, well because the auctioneer told me, that's how. Neither did I fall victim to their little jokes , like putting an egg in the cage with a cockeral to try to fool the unwary novice. What did I learn, well without asking I learned that "as hatched" is a pick and mix, males and females so boxes of as hatched chicks are cheaper (no pun intended) as you may end up with a lot of cocks. Poults are males, pullets are females (I hope I got that right) point of lay are really expensive as they have their whole life, foxes permitting, ahead of them. Marrens were the most sought after, as hatched Marren chicks going for £7 each, next Light Sussex, boxes of females going for £6 each. Warrens are very popular and point of lay were going for £7 each. I hung on and failed to get carried away, holding my nerve and eventually got 5 point of lay Warrens for £4 each, ha I laugh in the face of the seven pound payer. There were a lot of new to chicken keeping types there, it being the summer hols and chickens in the yard the new rock and roll, they were easy to spot, rolled up copy of Smallholder magazine with Marks and Spencer shopping bags and a couple of kids.

Bargains, well 24 fertile Light Sussex Eggs for £4, the auctioneer had a bit of a fit at this point having sold the same last week at a £1 an egg. I also got 4 Plymouth Rock chicks for 80p each, 7 Marren chicks for 80p each, all as hatched so some will be spare cocks for coq au vins later in the year, two white and three grey turkey chicks for £3 each. Some prices went mental, Peahen eggs £7 each, Call Ducks £20 each. Much to Tracey's delight I also bought a Cream Leg Bar Cockerel, my first purchase of the day, a really handsome fellow now called Sixty as he cost me 60p.

Back at the ranch phase two of Tracey's day out began, I dropped her off at the hairdressers with Beth and they spent the afternoon being pampered. Meanwhile I demolished the Black Hole ready for inspection by the Stable Sprite tomorrow who will tell me how much of everything I need to rebuild it all and hopefully tell me when he can do it by. He has a has a bit of a week. Digging in his garden yesterday he went through the water main with a digger. One of those wish you were there with a camera moments. So they were a few hours without water until he could fix it today. And here was me thinking those sort of things only happen to me!