The Babies

Finally, some pictures! They are not the best shots, but I didn't want to stress them too much. They have settled well, and despite sneezing occassionally to freak me out, seem healthy. They are certainly making a dent in their growers pellets. Already, they are beginning to get used to me coming and going, and have stopped trembling as I approach.

This is the nameless little gold partridge chick.

(Get voting people!)

                                          Introducing Celia, or CeCe, the silver partridge chick.

The big girls know that something is up. When I emerge from the garage, I am usually surrounded by several suspicious hens. If I leave the door open while I attend to the babies, their cheeping can be clearly heard. Mabel froze, cocking her head to one side, and made a long, drawn out 'Boooooooooooooooooooooook' sound. It had an element of 'Oohhhhhhhhh, I don't like the sound of that!' about it. Since this incident, the flock have been keeping a vigil by the garage door. Luckily, the babies are not concerned about the big girls chunterings.

I suspect that it will be some weeks before the two groups can lay eyes on each other.

Here We Go Again....

The ever tolerant husband is a truly marvellous bloke. He indulges my chicken obsession, drives all over the country so that I can look at birds, pays endless amounts of his hard earned cash out to poultry supply stores and vets, and even puts up with my sobbing hysterics when one of my beloved girls departs this world. I am one very lucky madchickenlady.

Today he took me to a farm and let me choose two new baby pekins. I was very glad that there were no Mini-a-like's there, and was drawn to the cutest, scruffiest little ball of silver and grey feathers. Of course, I should be more level headed and avoid anything pathetic looking like the plague, but this little lady had me from first glance. I have decided to name her Celia, a suitably gentile name for such a delicate creature. Celia is a scruffy mix of chick feathers and adult plummage, but I can already see that she will be beautiful. While I was admiring her, a bolshy little gold partridge chick swaggered over, giving me the once over. Sold. (This bundle of attitude is proving harder to name, so I have created a poll, and would very much appreciate your input. Also, if you have any other 'old lady' name suggestions, feel free to offer them in the comments box).

So, there are now two tiny ladies asleep in the pet carrier in the downstairs bathroom, snuggled against the radiator. Tomorrow, the ever tolerant husband and I will clear space in the garage, and set up the heat lamp in a makeshift run. The new arrivals will spend several weeks under heat out there before they are sufficiently grown to cope without. Then the fun of introductions will begin again.

He is bloody fabulous, my husband.