[devonbarmygardener]

Love the cuddle picture!

[joyfull]

great pic they make such a sweet couple 
Cant wait to see the purple eglu 

[New shoot]

Cant wait to see the purple eglu 

Well its a very 'Alphie' colour    I can see Foggy calling it the Pipsqueak's Purple Palace though 

I am still mulling it over Joy. It is a lot of outlay, but the no-rot placcy option is appealing and the house is small enough that the three of them can cuddle up in the winter and keep warm.  Over winter they tend to squish into a nestbox and then use the perches over summer, so I wonder if the current house is too big  If I get the run extention, it gives them a bit more outside room than they currently have as well 

Foggy and gang love their Green Frog house, even if he still hasn't managed to get the hang of the perches and is nesting on the floor each night    Beyonce, Patsy and Eddie have got it, but the old girl still likes sleeping in the doorway 

[joyfull]

if they dont perch you could use the eglu rabbit house (I used to use one for my broodies to raise their chicks on) and these fetch less money on ebay than the chicken ones, but you would need to see one first to see if it matches your birds needs.

[New shoot]

Well a certain little white cockerel is getting his purple palace this week, but he doesn't know it yet, so everyone has got to keep it hush hush    We are staring with the basic run and adding to it once they get used to their new pad. 

if they dont perch you could use the eglu rabbit house (I used to use one for my broodies to raise their chicks on) and these fetch less money on ebay than the chicken ones, but you would need to see one first to see if it matches your birds needs.

Keeping feelers out for the rabbit house on the second hand sites as a growers unit for new girls.  If not, newbies may have to slum it in the wooden rabbit hutch and run this year 

[New shoot]

Foghorn's diary
 
Stop the press diary - this is mega news 

Mum was sat on the garden bench looking at her computer earlier.  I asked if she was looking for new girls for me, but she said she was looking at something else and anyway, she has said we could wait.  I sighed a bit and kicked my feet about, but she just ignored me 

Then she jumped up and said 'Wow, we can't miss these' and before I knew it, the rabbit hutch and run was out from the corner by the shed and mum was dashing off with a big box.  I tried to shout to her to find out what was going on, but she just said 'You wait Foggy, you'll be impressed' and she was gone 

Anyway, she arrived back with the box all pleased with herself and said she had been to see the nice couple she got Patsy and Eddie from.  When she opened the box, my heart skipped a beat I can tell you.  Aren't these two just the most stunning little ladies ever     

Mum says they are barred wyandottes and has set up the hutch so we can see each other.  Somehow and I'm not sure how ........... but I keep finding myself over at that corner of the run daydreaming   

The pipsqueak will never top this news 

[devonbarmygardener]

Awwww Foggie - more lovely laydees for you!
Spoilt rotten I feel!

[joyfull]

brilliant news Foggy, they are very pretty

[New shoot]

Alphie's diary

Wayhey!  The Lilac Love Nest has arrived and we are installed    We got a bit scared going to bed the first night and couldn't get to grips with the new feeder or the perching bars in the entrance.  Mum took the first section of bars out and gave us our old feeder back to make us feel more at home.  I do think we look particularly good in it though 

This is our summer set-up with the partial shade cover on the run.  The nice people at Omlet sent us a full length cover for free as delivery was delayed, so we are sorted year round 

The new girls are quite taken with it already and have had a good nosy.

Naomi told them it was for upmarket girls like her and Eva only and they could get back to their rabbit hutch    They are only in there for a bit, then Foggy reckons they are for him.  Well I'm not so sure    They couldn't stay away today 

Can't blame them.  Talk about a deluxe pad.  Looks smart, its warm and comfy and there is more than enough room for a couple of tiddlers    Just got to see if I can get mum round to my way of thinking on that one 

[devonbarmygardener]

Ooooh nice digs Alphie!!

Now you can't have a new home and a new harem - that would be greedy!!

[joyfull]

lovely new home you have there Alphie and I just love the colour 

[New shoot]

Foghorn's diary

Well diary, been a bit worried about the old silver laced dottie recently.  Silly old bird jumped off the ledge in our run and landed badly we think    Anyway, mum came home from work and found her hunched up in the corner looking worse for wear and not wanting to put weight on that leg.  Mum took her into the house and put her in the puppy cage for a few days.  No breaks mum said and she couldn't find any swellings or hot spots, but my old dottie was happily settled and eating well, so she just gave her a few days rest.

Next day mum had off, she put the cage in the garden and left the door open,then let us out as well.  My old dottie was out like a rocket and although she's still limping a bit, she was much better and joined us for a roam around, even though she sat down to rest every so often.  When mum called us back into our run with the treats, she came as well, so mum left her alone.

We were out again today and the old girl was out and about, but then decided it was all too hot and retired to the run. I went to see if she was OK and she said she was just ready for a sit down and a snooze.

She's very fond of afternoon naps, but mum says she is 9 now, so its only to be expected.  For an old girl, she's still got some fight and is front of the queue when anything is on offer.  She's prone to peck anyone who tries nicking a bit of what she thinks is hers.  Even I watch myself round her as she's never been sweet tempered and old age is not helping at all   

Mind you, she may have her work cut out when the new girls join us. The pipsqueak was getting fed a strawberry through the mesh of his ridiculous new purple set-up (seriously I wouldn't be seen dead in it  ), when some-one had other ideas   

That's my girl !  Show him how much you rate his authority and steal from under his beak    The look on his face was priceless     

 

[sunshineband]

I'm with Foghorn on this one --- just look at Alphie's face 

[devonbarmygardener]

Alphie does look a bit put out!!
I'm sure he has a little respect for an old lady though

[New shoot]

Alphie's diary

Well we had been out in the garden most of the morning and were looking forward to a sleepy afternoon back in the run.  It looked like being the perfect day, but then you-know-who was let out 

He came straight over and the Lilac Love Nest had to be defended.  I let him know he wasn't welcome by glaring straight at him   

He then had the cheek to walk up the side of the run drinking raindrops off the mesh    That's our favourite thing to do after it has rained, so more chasing off was needed 

He went away after that.  'Bout time too!  Now where were we girls?  Dustbath ...... snooze ........ preening session ....... what do you fancy? 

Foghorn's diary

Well the new girls come out in the garden whenever we get let out now    I bet it won't be long before they move in 

I was having a good shake out of the feathers and the girls were having a rummage around, when the pipsqueak jumped up on his bit of wood and starting showing off    How good he thinks he is going to look posing in front of that stooooopid purple coop I have no idea, but he seems to think he looks the biz 

Beyonce was showing the new girls how to dig in the border and the rest were too busy looking for worms and slugs to pay much notice mind.  He was trying his best, but not even his stuck-up divas looked that impressed 

I'm not sure mum was too thrilled to have leaves chucked all over the grass, but we enjoyed it.  My old dottie's poorly leg is pratically all mended now and even she was digging away with the best of them. Those new girls catch on fast you know.  Not long before they were getting stuck in like the rest of them.   

They are a bit cheeky mind and were snatching up worms right under Miss B's beak.  I have warned them to watch their step with her, but they reckon they are too fast for her to catch them.  Hmmmmmmmmmmm - reckon I might be stepping in to rescue them a few times before they learn their lesson