Poultry talk

Although I still have one broody sitting on a clutch of eggs, the season is coming to an end. Several of the birds have gone into moult, a few have just a little feather loss, others like the Speckled Sussex and Dorking stand with a pile of feathers surrounding them, loosing more each time they shake. The Ixworth appears to have completed her moult and is looking very smart, crisp and white.
The geese are also moulting, their feathers covering the orchard.

The growers are.... well growing. The cockerels especially are looking fine with their adult feathering coming through.

All the birds are enjoying the start of Autumn with windfall apples and plums plentiful. Everyday when I change the geese' water there is a collection of plum stones at the bottom of the pond. Watching them 'apple bob' never fails to make me smile.

This morning I watched and wondered why all the hens were gathered under the churchyard hedge, until I noticed a pigeon flying out from the elder bush scattering berries everywhere. The hens fought over every last one.

Time has also come for some hard decision making, which birds of the flock to keep and who to replace.