We lost our lovely Plumpet today.
I cried and cried, she was such a fantastic little chook, the foster mother to nearly our entire flock of 15.
The fox jumped the 1.8m fence at about 10am and killed her and Rosie wheaten marans and possibly Arya Isa brown, she is hanging on.
Very sad.
Her 5 chicks are old enough to survive but will find it harder without her guidance, they will sleep with the big chooks tonight and will get pecked a bit, but its safer that way.
We spent all day adding another 40cm of wire to the top of the fence, leaning out like a prison, or as Martin puts it, a fortress.
We will have to be vigilant because he will try again.

These are her final chicks, 5 Australorps born October this year.

Panda bum and Melissa puddleduck, Plumpet raised them and their brother Henry, December last year. The fox got the girls and couple of months ago. That was very sad too.

Arya and Rosie on the right.

Plumpet

just about weaning time for her ducklings in march this year.

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Plumpet and her french wheaten marans chicks born September 2013. The roosters are dark coloured but the hens are the ginger ones in the centre, the darker if these was Rosie who also died today.

Lavender Aracaua chick peeking out from under Plumpets wing. Oct 2012

along with the Aracauna were 3 silver Campine chicks. We gave the aracauna away as he was a rooster and a facebook friend needed him for a breeding program, lucky him. We sold the campine rooster known as Chanty pronounced shonty for $50. He was a lovely bird.
The two girls have been wonderfully fecundant laying the lovely white eggs that some of you may know. Both of the girls had their feathers ruffled by the fox, I do hope he did not get his teeth into them or they could sicken and die.

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The lavender aracauna rooster nearly grown up.

Chanty and his sisters Clara and Cora (gormangast fame)

And in March 2012 she gave us her first hatching. Fertile eggs from a neighbour, we got 5 chicks 2 roosters which were delicious and 3 hens. We still have 2 of the hens, one died earlier this year of some thing.

So these are all of Plumpets broods, she was an amazing mum and sweet little chook, we were just talking about getting some eggs of her breed for her next hatching as more like her would be very welcome.
I shall miss her.

Polyhouse shadecloth on and off.

Hi again,
making a habit of it aren't I?
Its that time of the year when the temperature won't go up to 30 C till next Summer. So time to take the shadecloth off my polyhouse and let the Sun in.

after

before

All the afters are before the befores.
Easy to take off and easy to put on. We just tie some rope on and throw it over the top and pull it over and tie down. Makes such a difference. Plants would cook without it over summer.
Dale

Back for a visit

Hello anyone who is still connected, I took some lovely photos of my garden and just have to share them.

We were trialling a vine screen out the front of the house to keep the sun out in the afternoon. It works really well so we will extend it for next summer.

 

Dead Sheep!? No we were given a bag of fleece, no good for spinning but good for mulch and I threw the skull on top. A great conversation starter!

cheers
Dale