It's been a bit over a week now. I'm not sure if it feels like longer than that or shorter.

It's weird, there is still this outlandish hope that someone escaped and they're just lost, maybe the fox dropped them in the underbrush across the road or something. I find myself watching the sides of the roads when I drive home or scan the edge of the fields even though I know there is no way this is going to happen.

The day after I went on a bend of discovering even more and better ways to guard against foxes and further secure the pens.

I have made a few half-hearted attempts at gardening but it just seems empty without someone softly clucking at me from their perch on my lap.

I never expected to get so attached to them. I've had chooks and ducks before but they were pretty wild and while I was fond of them, I was fond of them in the way I'm fond of my sheep. They're beautiful, lovely to watch, I enjoy giving them tidbits but there's no bond beyond generally accepting I'm benevolent and my appearance usually indicates food is forthcoming. It's still lovely to interact with these and come a bit into their world but it's on a different level than say my dogs or cats where there is an actual relationship and genuine bond extending far beyond pocket love. Especially with my silkies though, they were just the most amazingly affectionate little souls and to bond like that with a chook was just an amazing, unexpected experience.

That said, I did go to the auction I'd planned to go to before this all. DH had some wise words and while I had a few wobbly moments, I also had a lovely day in some lovely company. I came home with two 5 month old black silkies (Jessamine and Cereus)

a std pb partridge wyandotte roo who was quite a surprise to see now named "Cedar"

and a trio of broodies - two silkie crosses Tiger and Lily and a wyandotte bantam (thinking of a name still).


I'm not sure what the X is in either of the silkie crosses. Any ideas? They're pretty little things though even if particularly fond of attempting to nip at this point! (Tiger is aptly named!)

All have various degrees of scaley leg mite, so the first thing after getting settled was a healthy dose of moxidectin which seems to have everyone much more comfortable.

The black silkies, while I'm not hugely interested in the black colour as such are necessary if I want to create lavender ones, so hopefully in a few years time I'll have some lovely lavenders. I need a lavender pekin for that and while I've got a good lead on where to get one I want to breed a few batches from these guys first to improve middle toe feathering and degree of separation between 4th and 5th toes. I think partridge colour will always be my first love though.

My little chicks are growing like weeds, the smallest is still very much smaller than the others but thriving.

I sent batch of eggs to be incubated on the 20th, one had a hairline fracture so wasn't set but fingers crossed for at least a few chicks out of them. Their mum has continued laying, has 4 in the nest as of today and looking as if she may want to go broody. Not sure if I should let her or keep removing them to set in an incubator as I really want to get my numbers up this year so I have a nice selection available to make my choices from.