In praise of a chicken!

This is not just any chicken - this is Dora the Chicken! If you had asked me at Christmas if she would still be with us i would have said no. She looked awful, so awful i certainly did not take a photo - she was moulting, had hardly any feathers - in fact she looked like she had been plucked ready for the oven! Not that i would do that i hasten to add! Even her little red comb was flat to her head, a very bad sign and a slightly paler than usual colour. I really didn't think she would be with us for long, especially with all the really cold weather and snow we had. I would also add that she is our one and only chicken now, as the others have, over the years, fallen off the perch so to speak. We did think of getting her some company but chickens can be funny and i did not want her bullied!

Well, what a difference a few months makes! She looks like a different chicken - i even had thoughts that someone had swapped her in the night! She has a full set of beautiful feathers, a very upright comb which is back to its normal colour. To top it all she has even started laying some eggs!!! This was a surprise as we thought she had 'retired'!

She reigns supreme in the paddock - chasing off any rooks or crows that might think they are getting her corn. She spends ages on the muck heap and also in the sand school rootling around. She has an entire stable block to herself if its raining - she literally peeps out of her house and makes a dash for the stables if its raining! Her most favourite time of the day is 3ish - she stands by the fence waiting for her blueberries - they are her absolute favourite!

Now you may say she is spoilt - but i think she deserves it - to us she is one special little hen!

xxx