Surprise!

I know! This was so meant to be a chicken blip! But at the end of the afternoon the light  caught the orchid and .....! But the ones I took are here if you want to see mostly Henrietta and a few of Pip! Couldn't resist Henrietta's gorgeous bum as an extra - rear of the year without a doubt! 
Well it's been a very good friday - most of it spent on the allotment! Up at 6.30 and out to check the girls hadn't maimed or killed one another during the night! All were fine, Tilly out first and then Henrietta - I knew she would be the first of the new girls, she was so inquisitive last night! There was no hen pecking so after an hour I left them to it.
After cleaning the coop  and feeding the girls major attack on the last composter on the half plot I am giving up - I had stripped off all my layers in no time - gorgeous sunny day and man that bin did not want to shift! I had to take the hatch off the side and dig the contents out round the edge, dig round the entire outside and lever it up with the spade before it would move! I found 3 small slow worms as I put spade full after spade full in the wheelbarrow, and gave them a new home in one of my other composters!
Colourful Mai arrived and it was chicken pedicure time - they didn't seem to mind and Dotty sat on the roof as if hoping for another go and  Tawny actually got done twice! None as bad as Alice and Betsey but showing early signs. We both were amazed we managed to catch and do all 16 - some of them really don't like being picked up! 
Back to the compost heap - 3 barrow loads  and 1 bed covered! Time  to  head home for a Hot Cross Bun and to check on the newbies!
I spent the next few hours watching and photographing them! Tilly and Henrietta were straight out when I raised the run top, finally opened the coop door to make sure the other two were actually ok! Pip was the next to venture out - but took her a while to jump out into the garden and would run back in at the slightest thing. Tilly followed first one then the other and seemed quite happy. Then Isobella ventured out and the feathers flew! Tilly not liking her at all! Isobella returned to the coop! I tried getting her out but got pecked quite viciously so left her. I began to wonder if she was broody, would explain her bad temper and coop boundness! So I tried getting her out again and discovered she was sitting on an egg - whether it was her egg or one of the others I don't know, but what a cute white egg! I managed to get her out and fed her a grape - well she attacked that as if it was her mortal enemy - I actually think she thought it was me and I probably am! I will give her the benefit of the doubt and see if she settles - she could just be anxious or it could be broodiness - Milly was the sweetest thing but when broody she was just as unpleasant! But if I have to give one up her card is already marked - which is ironic as I fell for her the most!
So newbies back in the coop and back to the allotment - 3 more barrow loads and some digging as the light faded - I now have 3 beds ready for planting! Good job we are set for some heavy rain days as I am pooped!