When will it be Spring?

The weather could not get worse. We have experienced a 60mph wind with branches being torn off trees and an overhead BT cable opposite our house blowing freely in the wind. WiFi is hit and miss and we are probably going to have a power cut. That is what usually happens in these conditions. The hailstones /sleet that have just been hitting the windows wirh force are just adding to all the problems.

We thought we were going to collect ten rescued hens today. We contacted the British Hen Welfare Trust who have rescued a large number of ex free range hens aged 18 months old. This is the age they are no longer wanted in the commercial egg laying market but generally the hens continue laying much longer than this.

We made our donation and were given a time and place for collection. We bought layers mash as were told that they were not used to pellets or corn that we feed to our existing birds. We got everything ready for their arrival including cleaning and preparing a big cage for their transportation.

This morning we had a phone call from the charity who were very disappointed to say that they were 150 hens short on the collection from the farmer and unfortunately we would be unable to have any on this occasion. It was quite upsetting but we will be able to have some from their next rescue. It's probably a good thing as the weather is so atrocious the hens may have been very unsettled and frightened in their new environment. The cockerals will have to wait a bit longer for sone new girlfriends

After a tidy up outside and a clean up indoors, we braved the elements and visited a nearby Garden Centre. We bought packets of vegetable seeds for ian to sow, and seed potatoes to chit.

My blip is of a very Spring like scene in the outdoor area of the Centre.