Chicken Lickin'

Parsley and Cakeatonne have bounced back with a new crew of chickens. Born and raised by 'Action' Jackson Brown, these four little wonders are now members of G unit. In updated and more secure compounds, these young uns are under our watchful eyes. We have a Warren (Warren G), a Black Rock (the Rock), a Magpie (Henny G) and a ranger (this naming was more convoluted: from Texas Ranger -> Chuck Norris - > CHICK NORRIS). These are strictly provisional names, and no doubt Parsley will hurl a molotov cuss at me for getting them wrong.

Hello ladies!

They are very young and very nervous, with exception to Warren G, which has been put in solitary during the day for jumping on the others and pecking them. I don't suppose the high winds are helping things. I even said to Parsley: 'If I was a chicken, right now I'd be fucking shitting myself,' to that end they did just that. This morning Parsley and I moved them from the eglu to the solardome, to acclimatize them. Don't know how successful we were, what with hugely annoying angle grinding going on from next door, doors banging, car alarms, Smethwick roaring at the district attorney down his mobile, and my general noisiness (speech). But they seemed to be quite happy (if tentative) roaming around the soil. All attempts to get them to feed seemed futile until the Magpie clocked on that eating seed and feed was better than pebbles and plastic. The others followed suit...to some extent at least. They are very clustered at present, only dispersing when it comes to being caught! It was a mega job, they kept finding nooks and crannies, squawking and legging it about the dome. 'It's for your own good!' soon turns to 'Come here you feathered dork!' We will have to be very patient with them. But it's like fire watching (for me, any road) I could sit happily and watch them do all kinds of nonsense and not stir. These three have a funny look about them, not like they're going to start talking and reciting Chick Norris one liners, but they have this startled chicken wisdom. I'm sure of it - I see it in their crazy wide eyes!

Get your a$$ to solitary!

Their tendency to huddle in the eglu at all times meant I had to usher them out again so that they could feed. In time these trepid foot soldiers will be at the forefront of the feathered biped crew, an unexpected clan from G unit! Watch this space.