The Girls are driving me mad!
Spring has sprung, and they are obviously al overflowing with hormones. Sadly for me (and for my neighbours) this manifests itself in long and loud outbursts of frustrated clucking or whingeing.
This morning the cacophony was ridiculous. At first, they seemed to be complaining that the Pampas was now out of bounds. I don't want them to associate cacophony with getting attention, so I ignored it for as long as my nerves would stand.
Then I went out and gave them a bit extra of another area, and they were quiet for a few minutes.
Then we had three of them crowing. It was as though someone had laid an egg, and all three wanted the credit. I went to have a look and I could see Milly (the Bully) sitting on the nest box, and Lotti hovering by the door. We have three nest boxes, but I can inderstand that Lotti doesn't want (or isn't allowed) to go in when Milly is on the throne. I checked under Milly and couldn't find an egg, so I assumed she was laying. She does do so occasionally.
Not much later, the same thing. I went to the nest box and Milly was still there. I found a smashed egg underneath her, and I caught her eating the contents. Now, Milly's egg shells are always paper thin, so I can believe that the breakage was accidental. Her rare eggs are often, but not always, broken. I popped Milly out on to the ground, and hoiked the eggy mess of Aubiose out from the nest box. Lotti came straight in and sat down.
The rest of the gand appeared at my feet. Roobarb was whingeing incessantly. I asked her to stop (like that ever works), and I threatened to catch her. Milly appeared and started to complain loudly. Florence started to burble. Poppy flew up and tried to land on my arm, which was down at the time, and only a quick movement from me saved her from embarrassement. EVen Custard started squealing.
I tried shushing. They shut up for a split second, before resuming. I put Poppy back down, caught Milly and told her to shut up; I tried, unsuccessfully, to catch Roobarb.
I could feel myself getting a teeny weeny bit cross with them, soI came back in to the house. Silence for about twenty seconds, then Lotti was announcing her egg. Then Milly joined in.
For goodness sake.
