Day 1

Yes, my chickens have arrived!!! Tom delivered 2 Rhode Island Red hybrids this evening along with coop and run (hand-made by the man himself and I must say the guy knows his way with a plank of wood and a saw; really well made) plus food, bedding and feed and water trays.

My wife's reaction was quite interesting- up to now it's been "it's your project!" but once the ladies were installed I could see she was quite taken with them. She grilled Tom on the usual questions "will they attract rats?" and "what about the fox?". Meanwhile Sophie (my 7 year old daughter) is in playing with and hugging the hens.

However our dog Penny (a heinz 57 breed) went absolutely nuts- She kept flinging herself at the run and then started tugging at the bars to get in. Unfortunately in her mania she forgot she was wearing her electronic collar and got a little too close to the "invisible" fence and she got a shock. Our dog now thinks that the chickens zapped her with some form of psychic hen mind power- but the plus side of this it has made her respectful of the ladies.