Spring has sprung

Quick update re Delilah: No change. I'm trying to tempt her to eat, but she's not really interested. She's shuffling about if disturbed, but otherwise just looks pretty sad and unwell. I suspect a trip to the vets is on the cards for this evening.

The fit five are happily destroying my lovingly tended garden. They seem to ignore any new plants, until they start looking lush and pretty. Then it's carnage. The windflower by my back door has no foliage at all, although they have left the flowers. A couple of hardy geraniums that were filling in nicely are now nowt but stalks. Bugger.

The sun is out, the sky is blue and the chooks are in playful mood. As well as the aforementioned garden wrecking, they have taken to 'singing'. In a futile attempt to attract a cockeral (good luck with that, ladies) they are shrieking their little hearts out. Bok, bok, bok, bok-ARK!!!!! Now, this wouldn't be so bad if they weren't in competition with each other. Once one starts, they all join in until there's only one triumphant hen bellowing across the county. Every time this madness starts, I can be seen wafting a tea towel at the offenders and theatrically whispering 'Shhhhhh!'. Of course, they ignore me and just get louder. Bum.

At the moment, Doris is queen of the leader board, managing an eardrum bursting bok-arkkkk! at the end of her song that has actually shocked next doors dog into silence. No mean feat, I can tell you. Luckily, the neighbour on the other side is a drummer, and has damaged his own hearing so much he doesn't seem to have noticed. Fingers crossed, eh?

When they're not singing, garden wrecking or pooing on the decking, they like to get in a little greenhouse vandalism. I have to take my share of the responsibility for this, as I stupidly left the door open. Fearing the suspicious silence, I poked my head out of the back door to see all five of them happily pricking out my seedlings, and eating them. Thanks girls.