The Cottage Smallholder

 
Well how did the cockerels taste?
Massimo is in the freezer as I chose Alphonso to star in our first eat your own chickens post. I decided a slow cook method was probably best so I christened The Giant Thermos that I bought from the church fete this year.
I also tried to use as many ingredients from Read More »

Since we got the letter from our neighbour we have been dithering about how to deal with our cockerels. As in all small communities, other neighbours have come forward to say that they liked the sound of the cockerels. We considered rehousing them but they would have to stay together as they were such close Read More »

Yesterday evening I noticed a brown envelope on the front door mat. I assumed that it was a circular and turned it over just in case. It had our address hand written on the front so I pulled out the typewritten letter and as I read the first few lines, my heart sunk.
“Danny, it’s a Read More »

 
“Can you handle live worms? That’s what the turtles eat.”
My stomach churned. I generously gave Danny the delight of tipping the worms into the dog poo composter last week.
“Of course I can.” Proud to the bitter end.
“There are not many worms in here at the moment but don’t worry, when you come to feed them Read More »

 
Baby our diminutive and bullied cockerel had been picked on endlessly. Not just by the Wicked Ginger Hen but by the whole flock. Just passing Baby in the run was an excuse for most chickens to give him a peck. Poor Baby had become the flocks’ punch bag. A tatty, forlorn creature – my heart went Read More »

 
Baby our diminutive cockerel is still very small. He has a sweet nature but his brain seems to match his size. The only time that I’ve seen him trying to take a dust bath was on a rainy day – no wonder he looks very tatty compared to the rest of the flock.
This tattyness set Read More »

 
Our ground is stony but gradually we are removing the stones. In some areas it’s compacted, were dealing with this by adding loads of organic matter. We are digging 3000 litres of good manure and topsoil mix into two thirds of our borders. The other third will get the treat next year. We are taking Read More »

 
Zebedee our youngest hen hatched on May 20th last year. The day that Mrs Squeaky Clean died – super clean heroine of all things white. A Garbo of the chicken world.  We loved Mrs Squeaky and it was a shock when she died.
The arrival of the new chicks salved the grief and Zeb has grown to Read More »

 
Last week I noticed that Baby, our tiny cockerel was hobbling. He spends most of the day on the roof of the ark away from the teasing pecks of the Italian Cockerels. Had he been hurt in one of these attacks?
I picked him up and examined the leg and claw. It was swollen with a Read More »

 
“Wow £4.19 for 15 strawberry seeds. Is it really worth buying these?” Danny shook the seed packet pensively.
“We couldn’t buy 15 plants for £4.19. Even at the church fete. I want to grow enough for wine and jam this year.”
“Won’t we get enough from the 12 plants that arrived yesterday?”
I am deeply into getting a Read More »