In sixteen years we have had many chickens. Sadly Messers Fox, Buzzard, Ferret and Falcon have taken their toll. Now the two chicken runs are like Fort Knox with heaven knows what methods to keep out the predators.
The first flock were named after Indian dishes, the last to go was Chicken Tikka. The cock of that lot was Cockfosters. We bred a few from this brood, a cock called Cocklooloo (my son couldn't say cock-a-doodle-do when he was little). Then came two rather splashy looking cocks called Jackson and Pollock.
We acquired, as one does in rural France, a lot of poultry which were housed in an old caravan in the meadow, but Mr Fox arrived one day and finished off hens, ducks, guinea fowl, geese. It was tragic and DH had to finish off a lot who had just been left badly injured. Anyone seeing this mayhem would not be against foxhunting.
After the last massacre we had a break. Last summer OH acquired 6 and a cock, Pavarotti, which I thought was reasonable. Then he went to market and came back with 10 chicks. I was not pleased. Two turned out to be yet more cocks, Placido and Jose, so he decided he would breed lots. Foot came firmly down as I had not envisaged creating chicken farm! Anyway under pressure one cock did get eaten.
We are inundated with eggs as DH is dilatory in selling them. about 12 per day. The freezer if full of quiche mixes, creme caramel mixes and just eggs! we will soon be egg bound as we have to eat so many. Any suggestions for use thereof? Apparently hens are born with a finite number of eggs.
We do not name anything we are going to eat so really only the cocks. We did acquire a castrated ram who inevitably became Lamb Bhoona. He was like a dog and became a great favourite pet, he would give children rides on his back. When the flock eventually went we rehomed him in what would be sheep paradise on earth and he was really happy. We bred a superb ram, Rene, think 'Allo, 'Allo, and he was a great character.
We give collective names to the pigs, so we don't know who we are eating. Last year's were Sausage and Bacon, this year's, just gone to piggy heaven, were Arthos, Porthos and Aramis. Not sure what the next three arriving soon will be. Groucho Brothers? Any suggestions?
In case anyone wants to say how can you, it's a farm, it's what farms are for. Our livestock live very spoiled lives and are raised and slaughtered very humanely - no abbatoirs - just quietly in the field with a qualified butcher. And eating one's produce is an attitude of mind.
I'm sorry. They are such lovely 'pets'
