I have not seen my girls for a week. Those short encounters when I talk to them through the closed pop hole when opening the coop do not count. Although I must admit, it is a highlight of my day watching them lining up to leave the house and bumping at each other every time someone stops. Apparently they are blind in darkness so it always amazes me they are out before dawn mesmerized by the smell of food.

Saturday morning is all about the girls. We clean their coop, change the bedding, replenish straw in their nesting boxes and scatter yet another bag of wood chippings on the run. Immediately they start kicking the new layer out from their pen. It looks like fun and resolves the mystery of 300 litres of bark that have immaterialised lately…

The girls are extremely excited about the fuss. Amber, the most nosy of our hens, would not leave me for a minute. She keeps wandering inside the coop and making funny noises as if she was commenting on the quality of the job I do. She would inspect all bits of equipment and investigate the content of the waste bag!

The last piece of work left to do is providing some entertainment. We found online a chicken football. Filled with their favourite treats it dispenses some when moved around. That may be something worth watching… I will certainly get my beach chair out and enjoy that little pleasure. Will report later…