Ann Marie, that is one fabulous looking coop, keeping chooks should give you endless hours of fun. Since moving to the city this is something I really miss, there is nothing like having a never ending supply of fresh eggs, and you will be surprised how many new friends turn up hoping for a egg donation.

If you are lining the nesting boxes, we did this by cutting up all our junk mail into 12mm wide (half inch) strips, the chooks found this very acceptable for nesting material. Keep them in the chook house for a few days then you will be able to let them out, especially if you set their feed time to be at a regular time each day, they will be ready and waiting. You may also be surprised just how quickly they become quite tame and will venture right up to you for a scrap of food. You now have a ready disposal unit for bread crusts and most vegetable scraps, chooks are very useful for food scrap disposal.

Just one last tip and this is important and I speak from a very unfortunate experience. When ever you touch the coop for clearing out or cleaning purposes or for supplying fresh water or food, be meticulously careful with your hand washing. Chooks are a primary cause of campylobacter, a really nasty form of food poisoning. Take my word it's very painful and debilitating, a problem that can take over a week to clear. The best way to avoid the problem is to always thoroughly wash your hands after you have anything to do with them, simple but totally effective. 

This is a great hobby and I am very envious.

Always remember Annmarie, to give all your chooks protection against Avian flue! We did!

Alas we no longer have chooks! Or sheep! or Piggies, or grapes, peaches, manderines, hazelnuts,walnuts etc etc since we moved. Sometimes we sort of regret moving 4 years ago, but the workload was a bit much for us old codgers!

I will see if I can get some of the masks from the internet Ciderman.

I don't get a newspaper any more, Doreen. They are just too depressing. I think it's been 8-9 year since I last got a paper. I watch the news on TV and catch it online if I want to know something in particular.

It was an excellent film, Annmarie, and I'm usually very critical of films and rarely get motivated enough to watch the whole thing!

Lovely birds, Ann Marie, but in shocking need of a hair cut.

Will you get fluffy eggs?

No we won't get fluffy eggs. These girls could be on the stage. They are very funny to watch. I have to say I've not got much work done since we got Dolly and Tammy. We have built a temporary fence in the garden so they can't wander off into the field. We do get foxes around here unfortunately.

I can’t post pictures  or smileys … what’s happened?

Well it's OK this end. Maybe you can try again.

Some Chicken.