May 2009
4th May Day holiday. We didn't do much due to the miserable weather.
8th Mystery of the chicken eggs that were being eaten has now been finally solved. The eggs that had round holes were being eaten by rats. They seem to get in through small tunnels from the earthen floor. This stopped when I concreted the hen house floor. Then some eggs had large jagged holes. I placed a camera in the hen house and caught on tape, one of the Rhode Island reds pecking and creating a hole in the egg. The hen got its beak clipped and the nest boxes were removed, so that the hens layed their eggs in the six chambers alongside one of the walls. This meant that it was comfortable to lay an egg but made it impossible for them to stand up and start pecking it. Finally, I discovered that magpies were getting into the shed when I wasn't around. The hen house door is kept open to allow movement from the enclosure to the shed for laying, rain, or shade. They were able to step into the egg chambers and start pecking the eggs for the yolk. Their pecking produced small jagged holes. The solution was to spread and pin a sheet across the top two thirds of the door. They have not come into the shed since, as unlike an open door, they cannot see what is inside - until they are inside! We now have three to four eggs a day.
14th Constant rain - even the ducks are fed up! The fields are waterlogged and there is a stream where our side road should be.
20th We have a boody hen sitting on a couple of eggs. Should be hatched around mid June.
28th At last it has stopped raining! The next week is promised dry with hot temperatures.
29th Milly the goat is pregnant - just noticed! So Melly and I are expecting a kid!
30th Colin and Chris have come for a long weekend. Picked them up at Knock airport about 2.00 pm, in glorious sunshine. Showed Colin and Chris my new project! Details will be given later in the year. Went to Catigans pub, Castlecoote in the evening.
31st Very hot day (25c). Colin painted the second goat house and Chris weeded the herb garden. Had coffee at 11.00 am and Colin and I had a few games of giant chess. Had a bar-b-que around 2.00 pm, followed by more games of giant chess.