Lyra, Oggs, Berrie, Zeb and Binkle....OVER HERE!!!!

[binkleandflip]

O dear Zeb...is there a link?

Peckatron is no more....I am really sad.

The vet rang and said that the black comb is due to a lack of oxygen and that is a sign of something else. They thought it best to leave it at that and they will do an autopsy and let us know... Guess it's all part of keeping animals. She was my favourite though.
We've not told the children yet.

Here it is.
So sorry about Peckatron Berrie. It's awful when things like that happen.

Zeb, glad you had a good time in London . Sorry about the shitty time since you got back .

Aw, Berrie. Poor Peckatron . Hope the others will be okay. Have you told the dc yet? Hopefully they won't take it too badly.

We told them. I don't think they really took it in and they'll be lots of questions tomorrow.
I bet neither of you take your poorly hens to the vet!

Nope. No trips to the vet for our chickens . Was it expensive with the autopsy etc?

Did you get your Duplo box back?

The autopsy is free, I think it was professional interest.
The consultation and crop flushing was £50. I don't know about the putting her down.
I guess I was hoping they could save her. We won't bother next time. paul doesn't mind doing the business, not that he's ever done it, only finished off pigeons he's shot for the pot. If they all go down we might need some advice. I've got to didinfect the whole run and house today . I thought it best to wait for the morning so it has all day to dry.

I don't think I've done a very good job of disinfecting it all. How are you supposed to get the run and wooden house really clean? It's not a flippin' Eglu. I hope poor old Peckatron turns out to have a twisted lung or something otherwise I'm going to feel really guilty when the rest of them kark it.

Where on earth does the phrase 'kark it' come from and is that how you spell it?

Now for the next challenge, how to get several bundles of straw out of the garage which now has the new bike dh bought from a collegue last night and leant up against the straw bales as it is too big yet and ds has not seen it...

That's a challenge and a half . Maybe you should disguise the bike as something really girly or boring that would be of no interest to DS whatsoever like a Disney princess castle?

£50 for the vet to see a chicken . Err, nope, never done that, although obviously no price is to high for the precious cows of course. (Did I tell you DH got an 'inconclusive' on one cow in the last TB test. So now we're on standstill until we get all clear. Yup, DH is having a fab summer, isn't he?)

Ooh, disinfecting advice. Go to your local farm store and get a big drum of whatever their most effective one is. Then use it to scrub everything down - hoses and brushes at the ready. As for the run, can't you move the henhouse to another section of ground? That would be the best option.

Right. VAT return, here I come. See how long it takes me to come back on here again when I'm really bored. And yes, I've cheered up a bit since yesterday, thank you for all your comments!

Oooo I've just had a bit of a narky messege on my dead chicken thread.
I do feel a bit daft taking her to the vet but I'd have felt bad knowing she'd died and I might have been able to make her better. I also wanted advice on whether the rest of the birds were about to go down and whether we could eat the eggs.

Thanks for the advice Zeb. Same old problem, I've not been able to track down a farm shop. It might have to wait until the weekend or do you think it's more urgent than that? The run is on slabs so they are easy to hose down once we've mucked them out.

TBH, if a chicken has died under unexplained circumstances, and there are others to worry about, you probably should get a vet involved - otherwise we'd all be over-run with things like bird flu or something! I don't know about urgency, but again if there is something up, sooner rather than later would be advisable. But have a cup of tea first

Lunchtime methinks - is it wrong to mention that I've just roasted a chicken?

Blimey! She was a bit narky. I'm tempted to ask her if she's a vegetarian.

I often look at our fat White Suffolk and think, 'bread sauce and sprouts'. I never fancied Peckatron 500 as she was kind of blue and posinous looking. ..... She was also my hen and the family joke 'cause of her silly name.

I'm ok about it now really. I guess it's beacuse I spent time nursing her on my knee yesterday that made me sentimental. I don't remember the frequent shredding of our hens by the fox when I was a child at all distressing!

I have called dh and told him to call at the place he gets the straw from to see if they've got any disinfectant for animals. I am not going to risk any more amazement at my expense by telling you what I used this morning.

Yeah, children are callous sods!

But that was a tasty bit of chicken I just ate, although I don't think Hugh FW would have approved.

Back to the VAT...... before I give in to temptation and have a go at the 'veggie' for being mean to a newby.

Tee Hee...I used to be a bit precious about what meat I ate until the Hugh programmes. I don't mind the odd 'dirty' chicken anymore...very odd!

Oh go on...keep an eye on her, if she comes back at me give her one for me!

Having decided I'm Margot not Barbara, at the moment I couldn't give a monkeys. . It's just a phase, I'll get over it and then insist on only shopping at Lady Bamford's gaff in the Cotswolds.
And don't worry, we'll stick up for ya!

Barbara could be very annoying I found!

Afternoon .

Tom and Barbara were both very smug and self-satisfied.... Margo and Gerry were much better.
Actually I've never liked Felicity Kendall . Anyone remember a sit-com in which she had a house rabbit? Was it called Solo or something?

Having a very lazy day today reading my book and doing nothing

She's horrid.I remember her in a sitcom called The Mistress. My Dad watched it avidly as he was having an affair at the time. He also like 'The Power of Love' by Jennifer...Rush? and watched it every week on TOTP's.

Thanks for messages on the other thread.

OOOOOOOGGGGGGGSSSSSSSS!

AAAAAHHHHHHH! I forgot!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!

Berrie bustles in with a large, colourful bunch of balloons. An enormous squishy calorie/fat/carbohydrate...whatever free cake which magically tastes delicious.....deposits several thoughtful and beautifully wrapped gifts on the table and gives Oggs a big birthday hug!

Berrie goes back to the car to get the egg and cress sandwiches, the fairy cakes, bacon frazzles, midget jems, bunny in grass, hula hoops, sausages on sticks, cheese and pinapple on sticks, chocolate fingers and party rings...oh and some fizzy pop!

Berrie returns to the car to get the huge bouquet of wonderful flowers (you can barely tell it's her behind it)

Berrie looks at watch and wonders how long it is until the entertainer she has booked arrives...

....celebrity stripograms can be a little tardy.

How rude you were Oggs...I wish I'd hired Chucklechops now!!!