Rosie and Maisy have arrived...!

After a fruitless trip to the Poultry Fair at Myshall a couple of weeks ago, we finally got our hands on two birds to get our little flock started. They came from a reputable breeder in Laois and weren't on the list of breeds I had shortlisted, but they're winning me over more and more every day. Rosie is a black Minorca and is proving to be a fairly plucky little lady. She's always the first scrambling out of the hen house in the morning for breakfast and it's usually her little head you'll see peering out of the hedge first when there's any grub on offer. Yesterday, she tried to climb the steps to the slide but skittered off abruptly with her wings flapping 'like a helicopter' according to JP when she couldn't make it to the top step. Maisy, on the other hand, is a lot more reserved. She's a Cuckoo Maran, with round haunches, who waddles swiftly out of sight if we come anywhere near. The two of them have been gradually venturing out further into the garden every day and seem to be enjoying the range of worms and slugs on offer. A couple of our neighbour's hens have wandered into the garden now and again and have even been audacious enough to try to nick Rosie and Maisy's feed, but they're learning their lesson slowly but surely. JP will happily pick up one of them quite firmly and throw them out of the enclosure if he sees them at it. It's funny how he's becoming really interested in them.. he asked me to read the whole 'Keeping Chickens' book to him last weekend. I'm not sure if the attachment is really there yet though.. he keeps asking if we can kill Maisy and eat her as she looks so fat. Hmmm...

Over the last few days, I've noticed Rosie and Maisy becoming more and more chilled out.. often nestling down together in a quiet spot and watching the world go by. They never leave each other's side and it's quite endearing to watch. On the subject of eggs, in case you're wondering, there aren't any. The two of them should start laying soon, although the breeder reckons he's missing a daily egg since he sold them to us. I still haven't seen any though, but hopefully they won't be too far off.

In the meantime, we're just enjoying getting to know them. We should have some more to add to the flock in about 2-3 months. A friend of ours bought a box of chicks on an impulse two weeks ago and is raising them at the moment under lamps in his garage.. two have been ear-marked for us and he might be getting some more soon. Can't wait! I'm beginning to understand why people find this poultry business so addictive...