Conchita & Consuela...and the evil possum

Being a guardian of a flock of boks necessarily entails endless contemplation over the acquisition of more and more hens...who knows why this condition exists in chook keepers but it's always there.

Pumpkin mandarins and flowers from the garden

So when I found 2 araucanas in need of a new home I couldn't resist. I'd been thinking of adding to our flock for a while now anyway but the thought of a massive dustbowl that I thought might ensue always held me back.  5 full grown full size hens roaming the backyard without a care.

Another thing to ponder.  Why is it that araucanas are always named Conchita and Consuela?  Surely not every buxom lass in South America is a Consuela or a Conchita?  No doubt if I ever acquire an araucana rooster he will be named Inigo Montoya.  In fact I think I'll get a rooster just so that I can name him after one of my favourite characters.

I digress.

So in the peak of the crazy storm in Melbourne last night, there I was on a wild hen chase aquaplaning through water past my tyre tops on the freeway making my way to the hens.  Of course the part of the world they were in was quite dry but they endured crazy driving on the way back to my place.  I'm sure they snored in the dark the entire way ignoring the erratic driving and the pelting rain.

Today, their first day, they spent in the coop learning that it is now 'home' whilst the other bok flockers roamed the garden as usual.

Conchita (with tag on her leg) even laid us an egg!  A green egg.

 

The other girls however are still freeloading *FROWN*

Welcome Conchita and Consuela!

The tragedy that is feeding local wildlife unintentionally

Meanwhile can someone confirm that it is a possum (we have LOADS of them on our street) that has eaten ALL of our capsicum and ALL of the red chillies (having left the unripe green ones).  Surely not a chook could be so neat?  Not a scrap of fruit left.  Neatly bitten stalks left behind.  No signs of scratching.  I've never seen the chooks up on the apple crates but I have seen possums sitting on our fence laughing at us.

 

GONE!  ALL GONE OVER NIGHT!

GONE!  All the red chillies - GONE!

Lavender

Over the weekend I brought home a bantam araucana pullet.  I've been wanting to round the flock up to 6 members since Bok Choy passed away. I still find myself going to do a 6 head count at bedtime.  I miss Bok Choy!  I've been waiting for a bantam araucana pullet to become available, but they are not easy to come by so I had to take the opportunity to get one when a hatching became available.

This is Lavender (imaginatively named by Miss Bok seeing as her colouring is...well...lavender!).

On Saturday night when all was dark, I snuck her into the coop.  All was good!  Until I let everyone out early on Sunday morning...

Astrid realised that there was a new comer and that was it!  She raced at poor little Lavender and pecked her away.  I was so shocked.  I don't like seeing this side of my Astrid!!

So whilst the flock roamed about, poor Lavender stayed inside the open part of the coop, terribly lonely in her isolation.  At least she had plenty of food and water.

The flock went about their day as usual with Astrid darting out to peck at Lavender anytime she tried to come close.

 

Sunday night I let Lavender into the coop's roost box with the flock but kept Astrid out in the open part of the coop and as she wasn't allowing Lavender inside the roost.

This morning I tried to keep Astrid separate to let Lavender bond a little with the others.   Ideally I would have a spare coop but I don't...so will have to make do with what I do have. 

With Astrid away, the bok flock milled around a bit looking a little lost, then Sophie stepped up and led the flock away.  Little Lavender was too frightened to follow them so she is still in the coop too afraid to venture anywhere near the other big bad hens.

I hope they let little Lavender in soon.  She is so brave and has such spirit - they should love her!  I do already of course.  I've asked for one of her hatching mates but the breeder tells me that the others are already set aside for other people so no luck getting Lavender any company that way...ah well.  I'm hoping over time she will be allowed to integrate.  I've kept Astrid away in another section of the garden, but her mournful calling is also heart breaking so I'm going to relent and let her out.  If she could stop seeing Lavender as an intruder and just welcome her, they'd all be so much happier!  I keep looking out and seeing her all alone, it makes me so so sad.

Little do men perceive what solitude is, and how far it extendeth.
For a crowd is not company, and faces are but a gallery of pictures,
and talk but a tinkling cymbal, where there is no love. - Francis Bacon