Autumn Storms

The Storms have arrived here with a vengeance.



The wind howled around, and the rain hammered on the windows, all night. 

I knew there would be some standing water this morning but didn't expect it to be quite so bad as Christmas last year. The yard was under a good few inches of water and parts of the garden are submerged almost entirely. We had even cleared out the drains in anticipation of a winter deluge. The small drain we cut across the entrance last year was still working so things could have been worse. Even parts of the polytunnel are flooded although the patch at the back has held through yet another gale. Hooray for that at least. 

The poor hens in the roost have a small river running through the entrance way. Six refused to leave and had to be fed inside. I was worried about a few leaks in the new hen house I am setting up but it is far dryer than the roost is right now. I just wish I had got them in there before now.

Sadly Ginger has lost all her three chicks. One didn't cross the road fast enough and was run over by a marauding duck eager for food. The other two seemed to be doing well but, being a young and inexperience mother, she left them exposed far too long in the bad weather today and they succumbed before we noticed. We did try to rescue them and warm them through but it was too late.

The five chicks we are rearing inside (I know - I'm soft) have been relegated to the porch. They provided far too much competition for Hubby when he is strumming away on his guitar and they can out sing anybody.  They also outgrew the box they were in.  I provided them with a large cage to run about in but, naturally,  they prefer to pile on top of each other in the last two inches of the cage. They did not dare venture from there for the best part of 24 hours. It was only when I moved the food and water a little closer that they plucked up (sorry) the courage to move away from the light. I can’t believe how fast they are growing compared with the ones outside. They will be fully feathered in no time if they continue to grow at this rate.

More rain due tonight I think – fingers crossed it is not too bad. God job Hubby has left his boots in the porch, he will probably need them to get out in the morning.