Richard Pancake

Earlier this year we were given a chick that hatched out of a light sussex egg. Clearly not a light sussex by any breed standard the chick was useless to the owner and found a new home in our garage. He soon turned out to be a boy with massive feet and some rather quirky behaviour.

We never really took any pictures as he was meant to end up on our table. Nick named pancake by his previous owner he was soon named richard pancake, richie for short.

Richie is afraid of other chickens. He will peck on small chicks to get to his food but as they grow older he gets more and more frightened. He loves a stroke on his head when he is in a good mood but hates being picked up and screams for Scotland if you even so much as try.

Richie walks funnily although he is perfectly healthy and sleeps with his head on the floor like a dog. He hasn't worked out to take shelter when it rains and he just sleeps anywhere in the garden. He will have to move back inside in the winter if he doesn't learn to go to bed as he will freeze to the ground otherwise....

Chicken update

Stevie did a great job protecting his flock of laying hens but recently decided to start attacking people. When he scratched the face of one of our volunteers it was time for him to make a lovely dinner for us. He had a lot of exercise in his life and his legs were a bit tough but otherwise he tasted just fine.

Before he departed Stevie fathered plenty of chicks.

They were incubated and grew up indoors.

When the weather got warmer they all moved outside.

They now free range in the garden and will soon be moving down to the project.

Willow tree

Earlier this year I was given two stumps of willow by our neighbour. Rammed them into the ground and although I didn't hold much hope they are doing well.

April 2010

June 2010: