Relaxation of Chicken Lockdown

Some of you may not know, but whilst we have been suffering through COVID lockdowns, our feathery friends have been in lockdown too. There was an avian flu breakout, and so all poultry were required to be kept indoors all winter. Ours stayed in the stables, and were happy enough (particularly when they got Willow's left over porridge for breakfast!) but I think they definitely missed roaming free round the Old Sheep Farm.

On March 31st, Chicken Lockdown was lifted! And our ladies made a beeline for their favourite dust bath by the elderberry bush.

Wendy, in particular, celebrated by getting absolutely filthy and then falling asleep in the soil.

They much prefer to drink from the stream in the water garden than out of their metal drinker in the stables.

Wendy sidled up to me whilst I was having a cup of tea and a hot crossed bun in the sun - almost stuck her beak right in my mug!