Monday, March 30, 2020
Wormery
I've been enjoying spending time in the garden. This little video shows my first experience of getting soil out of my wormery.
Day 8 of CoronaVirus Lockdown
The days are starting to run together a bit. There isn't a lot to distinguish between them. I've been reading about how best to cope with the stay-at-home instruction, and the advice seems to be have a routine of some sort. My routine at the moment involves breakfast in bed reading the newspaper on my iPad. Get up, check the chickens, then it varies. It all depends on my mood. I've been putting together little videos to go on YouTube and link back to this blog. Now that I'm back in the swing of blogging, it is quite nice to have that little bit of structure.
Last night I had a group accordion session with my No1 Ladies Accordion Orchestra. We all went online together and one lady would lead. We used Zoom. Mics were all muted so you could hear the lady who was leading and what you were playing. We then chatted a little between pieces. We had shared around all the music electronically beforehand. Debi could display the score for us via the main screen as the host if we needed it, but that made it difficult for her to join in. Most people had printed off copies. It was great fun.
I've learned a couple of German tunes from a harpist called Merit Zloch. The link below opens on Merit playing an original composition inspired by the Jim Henson movie, Labyrinth called Harfe: Reise ins Labyrinth which demonstrates some amazing sounds that can be made with a harp by somebody who is so musically creative. Merit comes over with other musicians and often teaches at Halsway Manor, the National Centre for Folk Art. Her live streamed workshop on Facebook was brilliant (and I might add the tunes she taught us were nowhere near as complex as the Labyrinth tune I've linked to here!). She should have been in the UK when this Coronavirus hit.
People are being very creative. Today I participated virtually to a great workshop by Ben from Shoot Gardening on how to get the most out of their their garden database, tools and planner. I've got a 5 year subscription to this but have hardly been using any of the features. Now that we are all homebound, I plan to really get into it. The workshop was really good - I took lots of notes.
Last night I woke up at about 1:10am and tossed and turned for a bit. When I did eventually get back to sleep I had odd dreams. I've read that this is not unexpected in this strange and rather surreal existence we are living. Talking to my friends in the orchestra, few of them have even left the house since the lockdown started last monday (possibly none of them apart from me).
On the news they are suggesting that this situation might persist for up to 6 months. I do hope not, but if it does, I guess we shall cope
The daily coronavirus update has just started on TV. Listening to it in the background while typing this. I guess this has become part of my daily routine.
Last night I had a group accordion session with my No1 Ladies Accordion Orchestra. We all went online together and one lady would lead. We used Zoom. Mics were all muted so you could hear the lady who was leading and what you were playing. We then chatted a little between pieces. We had shared around all the music electronically beforehand. Debi could display the score for us via the main screen as the host if we needed it, but that made it difficult for her to join in. Most people had printed off copies. It was great fun.I've learned a couple of German tunes from a harpist called Merit Zloch. The link below opens on Merit playing an original composition inspired by the Jim Henson movie, Labyrinth called Harfe: Reise ins Labyrinth which demonstrates some amazing sounds that can be made with a harp by somebody who is so musically creative. Merit comes over with other musicians and often teaches at Halsway Manor, the National Centre for Folk Art. Her live streamed workshop on Facebook was brilliant (and I might add the tunes she taught us were nowhere near as complex as the Labyrinth tune I've linked to here!). She should have been in the UK when this Coronavirus hit.
People are being very creative. Today I participated virtually to a great workshop by Ben from Shoot Gardening on how to get the most out of their their garden database, tools and planner. I've got a 5 year subscription to this but have hardly been using any of the features. Now that we are all homebound, I plan to really get into it. The workshop was really good - I took lots of notes.
Last night I woke up at about 1:10am and tossed and turned for a bit. When I did eventually get back to sleep I had odd dreams. I've read that this is not unexpected in this strange and rather surreal existence we are living. Talking to my friends in the orchestra, few of them have even left the house since the lockdown started last monday (possibly none of them apart from me).
On the news they are suggesting that this situation might persist for up to 6 months. I do hope not, but if it does, I guess we shall cope
The daily coronavirus update has just started on TV. Listening to it in the background while typing this. I guess this has become part of my daily routine.
Saturday, March 28, 2020
Day 6 of UK Coronavirus lockdown
The UK has been on lockdown since last Monday. People seem to have slowly got used to things. I thought it might in interesting to redeploy my chicken blog to capture thoughts and experiences as we pass through this extraordinary period in history.
The guidelines are to stay at home, emerging only to buy food, for one exercise per day or to go to work if you are unable to work at home. As the week has gone by, shops have introduced measures - distancing using black and yellow tape on the floor, limiting the number of shoppers able to go in at any one time. Yesterday we went out to Tesco in Kingston Centre for the first time since last Saturday before the restrictions had been imposed. Last week, there had been huge panic buying with the shelves first cleared of loo roll and hand sanitiser, then more things such as pasta, rice, tinned tomatos, baked beans, everything from the freezer section. It had got quite worrying, but we figured that fresh food still seemed to be available so we wouldn't starve, so we didn't panic buy.
Yesterday at Tesco things were very different. Very calm. There were blue plastic gloves to pick up as you joined the back of the queue. There was tape on the ground to keep the queuing people 2m apart. As you approached the store, a lady cleaned the handle of the trolley and you were only allowed in if you were wearing blue gloves. Once inside the shopping experience was very calm. There was lots of produce on the shelves, but still no loo paper. I think to get loo paper, you'd need to go at 10am. Shops are limiting the 9am to 10am slot for the vulnerable and health workers.
I'm sat here now, at 4pm, watching the daily coronavirus update on TV. This feels very much like those films of families during the 2nd world war, gathered around their wireless radios. The Govt are trying to put financial support systems in place very fast to help people and businesses.
Locally, many of our local businesses are trying to diversify. The restaurants are doing meal delivery. Tonight we plan to have a take-out curry and watch a movie. We wandered down to the village and went into the Nonna's pop up store. Lots of eggs (currently in short supply). Lovely Italian restaurant. Hope it keeps going. They were clearly selling italian stuff that they had to make meals out of - big tins of tomatos etc, but had also sourced cleaning products and other useful things. At £5.50 per teeny slice, I thought the chocolate brownies were rather expensive - I guess they were made in house and that was the price you'd pay if you bought them for pudding at the restaurant.
Spending more time at home has its upside. I've planted lots of vegetable seeds and am spending lots more time with my chickens. I've made a few videos which I plan to upload to the blog. The chickens are becoming super super friendly - but are hardly laying any eggs! You'd think having chickens during a time of egg shortage would give me an advantage! Lazy little creatures.
The scary thing is that each day we get an update on how many people have died of the virus. Over 1000 today with the biggest daily increase so far. The prime minister tested positive yesterday after having symptoms. The chief medical officer as well, and the health minister. Hope they have it mildly as they are criticial to us getting through this.
The guidelines are to stay at home, emerging only to buy food, for one exercise per day or to go to work if you are unable to work at home. As the week has gone by, shops have introduced measures - distancing using black and yellow tape on the floor, limiting the number of shoppers able to go in at any one time. Yesterday we went out to Tesco in Kingston Centre for the first time since last Saturday before the restrictions had been imposed. Last week, there had been huge panic buying with the shelves first cleared of loo roll and hand sanitiser, then more things such as pasta, rice, tinned tomatos, baked beans, everything from the freezer section. It had got quite worrying, but we figured that fresh food still seemed to be available so we wouldn't starve, so we didn't panic buy.
Yesterday at Tesco things were very different. Very calm. There were blue plastic gloves to pick up as you joined the back of the queue. There was tape on the ground to keep the queuing people 2m apart. As you approached the store, a lady cleaned the handle of the trolley and you were only allowed in if you were wearing blue gloves. Once inside the shopping experience was very calm. There was lots of produce on the shelves, but still no loo paper. I think to get loo paper, you'd need to go at 10am. Shops are limiting the 9am to 10am slot for the vulnerable and health workers.
I'm sat here now, at 4pm, watching the daily coronavirus update on TV. This feels very much like those films of families during the 2nd world war, gathered around their wireless radios. The Govt are trying to put financial support systems in place very fast to help people and businesses.
Locally, many of our local businesses are trying to diversify. The restaurants are doing meal delivery. Tonight we plan to have a take-out curry and watch a movie. We wandered down to the village and went into the Nonna's pop up store. Lots of eggs (currently in short supply). Lovely Italian restaurant. Hope it keeps going. They were clearly selling italian stuff that they had to make meals out of - big tins of tomatos etc, but had also sourced cleaning products and other useful things. At £5.50 per teeny slice, I thought the chocolate brownies were rather expensive - I guess they were made in house and that was the price you'd pay if you bought them for pudding at the restaurant.
Spending more time at home has its upside. I've planted lots of vegetable seeds and am spending lots more time with my chickens. I've made a few videos which I plan to upload to the blog. The chickens are becoming super super friendly - but are hardly laying any eggs! You'd think having chickens during a time of egg shortage would give me an advantage! Lazy little creatures.
The scary thing is that each day we get an update on how many people have died of the virus. Over 1000 today with the biggest daily increase so far. The prime minister tested positive yesterday after having symptoms. The chief medical officer as well, and the health minister. Hope they have it mildly as they are criticial to us getting through this.
Saturday, March 14, 2020
Chicken pedicures
So, it is that time again. Despite my best efforts, my three little sabelpoots have got mud and poop all stuck around their little feet and their foot feathers. I decided to make a video of how I sort this out. In fine weather, it is actually quite nice. I'm sure it helps the chickens bond with me, the more handling the better. Enjoy the video
Wednesday, March 20, 2019
Dustbathing chickens
Just trialling putting my little videos on YouTube and linking them from here. Not sure whether it is best to do that or embed them within the blogger post.
Friday, January 4, 2019
[NOT] Bumblefoot
After Maud died in spring 2018, I amalgamated my two little flocks of bantams into the bit walk in run. There are Lulu and Velvet the white and black bantam silkies, and Mapp and Lucia the lemon sabelpoots and Porsche the porcelaine sabelpoot. They soon settled in together, with Lulu and Velvet the most dominant and little porsche the bottom of the pecking order.
The weather has got colder, and a couple of weeks ago I noticed that Porsche was looking pale and not herself. Feeling her, she seemed thinner than the other sabelpoots so I gave her three days of chicken nutri-drops. That made an amazing difference. Her comb went a good shade of red, her eyes were bright and she seemed right as rain.
During 2018 I've felt really on top of keeping the chickens healthy. Now that they are all in the WIR it is much easier to keep their bedding clean. Every morning I go in and poop-pick and also use a trowel to fluff up their aubiose bedding. When it rains, water does get in despite the rain coverings, and the bedding can get damp, but if I fluff it up it dries really quickly. I can then easily sweep it up every few months, when it starts to look a little used and the chips are beginning to break down into dust, and put down fresh. I do this particularly with a view to stopping the chickens from getting muddy feed. The feathered footed sabelpoots in particular are very susceptible to collecting mud and poop on their feet and feathers. When the weather is fine, I let them out into an enclosed run with a little green eglu so that they can dustbathe and scratch around which they really enjoy. Now it is winter, I top up a seed tray so they can dustbathe in that and they seem to like it.
The WIR is quite fun for them. There is a nice perch, two blocks of wood for perching, a chicken swing that I have seen the sabelpoots using as well as the regular hentastic treats I put out for them.
As I've been spending lots of time daily with the hens, they have become more and more tame, so it has been really easy to pick them up and feel their condition. Imagine my horror today when I decided to give their feet a really good check (I'm always woried about scaly leg with the feathered legged breeds) and I saw that one of the lemon sabelpoots had what looks very much like bumble foot. The other has got round clods of mud on her toe nails! I feel like I have been so neglectful. How could this have happened. They must wait until I've gone, then quickly poop and then stand in it!
I've phoned Scotts in Bedford and made an appointment with the exotic vet for Monday at 10:45. I hope they can treat it. The Sabelpoots are all a bit shirty with me today as I've been poking and prodding them alot to check what is wrong, also it is bitterly cold, so I'm going to leave it until tomorrow then wash and blow-dry their feet. Then they will have Sunday to recover before I take one of them to the vets by car. Hopefully she won't get too stressed.
I guess this sort of thing happens to the best of us. It just goes to show the importance of checking ALL aspects of your chickens on a regular basis.
UPDATE
The vet pointed out the little red scab which was probably the point of entry for bacteria that had caused an infection. Chicken pus is thick and doesn't respond well to antibiotics, so best thing was to give her a general anaesthetic so the vet could open it up and clean it out. £200 later I have a chicken with no lump on her foot, a few teeny stiches, and my wallet is much lighter. All good :)
The weather has got colder, and a couple of weeks ago I noticed that Porsche was looking pale and not herself. Feeling her, she seemed thinner than the other sabelpoots so I gave her three days of chicken nutri-drops. That made an amazing difference. Her comb went a good shade of red, her eyes were bright and she seemed right as rain.
During 2018 I've felt really on top of keeping the chickens healthy. Now that they are all in the WIR it is much easier to keep their bedding clean. Every morning I go in and poop-pick and also use a trowel to fluff up their aubiose bedding. When it rains, water does get in despite the rain coverings, and the bedding can get damp, but if I fluff it up it dries really quickly. I can then easily sweep it up every few months, when it starts to look a little used and the chips are beginning to break down into dust, and put down fresh. I do this particularly with a view to stopping the chickens from getting muddy feed. The feathered footed sabelpoots in particular are very susceptible to collecting mud and poop on their feet and feathers. When the weather is fine, I let them out into an enclosed run with a little green eglu so that they can dustbathe and scratch around which they really enjoy. Now it is winter, I top up a seed tray so they can dustbathe in that and they seem to like it.
The WIR is quite fun for them. There is a nice perch, two blocks of wood for perching, a chicken swing that I have seen the sabelpoots using as well as the regular hentastic treats I put out for them.
As I've been spending lots of time daily with the hens, they have become more and more tame, so it has been really easy to pick them up and feel their condition. Imagine my horror today when I decided to give their feet a really good check (I'm always woried about scaly leg with the feathered legged breeds) and I saw that one of the lemon sabelpoots had what looks very much like bumble foot. The other has got round clods of mud on her toe nails! I feel like I have been so neglectful. How could this have happened. They must wait until I've gone, then quickly poop and then stand in it!
I've phoned Scotts in Bedford and made an appointment with the exotic vet for Monday at 10:45. I hope they can treat it. The Sabelpoots are all a bit shirty with me today as I've been poking and prodding them alot to check what is wrong, also it is bitterly cold, so I'm going to leave it until tomorrow then wash and blow-dry their feet. Then they will have Sunday to recover before I take one of them to the vets by car. Hopefully she won't get too stressed.
I guess this sort of thing happens to the best of us. It just goes to show the importance of checking ALL aspects of your chickens on a regular basis.
UPDATE
The vet pointed out the little red scab which was probably the point of entry for bacteria that had caused an infection. Chicken pus is thick and doesn't respond well to antibiotics, so best thing was to give her a general anaesthetic so the vet could open it up and clean it out. £200 later I have a chicken with no lump on her foot, a few teeny stiches, and my wallet is much lighter. All good :)
Saturday, April 21, 2018
Last pictures of Maud
These photos were taken on 21st April, so I've dated this post to that date. I love the one of Maud listening to my Dad's old radio. Sadly, Maud passed away just days after this photo was taken. She had reached the grand old age of 6yrs and 9 months. My oldest chicken to date. She always was a character. Lovely hen.
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