Here We Go Again

Every time something hideous happens to the poultry contingent, I swear that I will never acquire another hen. This resolve usually lasts about two days, so it shows just how affected I am by Doris's demise that I am still at six pekins nearly two weeks after she shuffled off this mortal coil. The remaining hens potter about happily, occasionally chasing the serama for sport, but on the whole quite content. But I have an appointment to visit a pekin breeder on Saturday, and only an idiot would bet that the cat carrier will remain empty.

So what is it that keeps me coming back to the pekin. Is it their feisty temperament? Their relative intelligence? (I feel justified in this assessment, having owned silkies for a year. Now that is a stupid breed of chicken) Is it their fluffy, cuddly appearance? The comedy flares? The bickering old biddy chatter? Well, yes. It's all of those things. And it's also the way they sail across the garden in high winds, and refuse to interact with inclement weather on any level. Last year during the snow I had to bring them breakfast in bed, and they complained when they realised id left the raisins out of the porridge. I rather like that sense of entitlement.

I dally with other breeds. I have a fondness for the serama and their dainty pitter patter across the patio. I am rather fond of blue laced wyandottes. But the pekin just has that bit of magic. When they're in the mood, they're good little layers. They're friendly and easy to tame, and have very distinctive personalities. And of course, pekin babies are utterly, totally adorable. I defy anyone to watch a young pekin attempting to run across the lawn while simultaneously falling over their own foot feathers and not go 'awwwwww'. Everything about them is appealing, and their potential for comedy boundless.

So, I will almost certainly have pictures for you on Saturday. The breeder keeps a huge amount of colours, so it'll probably be hard to choose. I think I'll choose birds based on personality rather than colour this time, the flock could do with a challenge. I like to keep things interesting.

I also like to make things hard for myself, apparently.