Relaxed Farming - our farm in your classroom

Elizabeth (below) has spent a very quiet day in the barn (where she is now spending her days and nights in order NOT to be near the cockerel - see yesterday). She has hardly moved from her perch except to eat and drink and has done an awful lot of sleeping and preening. The feathers falling from her are incredible: this is a very serious moult BUT nothing to be alarmed about at the moment.
It is raining a lot again and the next week or so is set to continue to be wet, so a few days inside will be a good thing for her. We have added some 'poultry spice' to her pellets: this contains vitamins and minerals (additional to those already in her ordinary feed) and is recommended for birds who are moulting or a bit poorly.
Back in the chicken paddock, the cockerel is sort of behaving himself and the rest of the turkeys continue to amuse and delight as they follow us everywhere. One of the males is particularly friendly and curious and enjoys trying to eat the zip on Jack's coat as well as helping himself to corn direct from the jug. He may well become the next Napoleon (our male stag, the original Napoleon having died back in the spring)!!! It's exciting to breed/raise animals and be able to choose which ones to keep for your breeding stock for the following year! Fingers crossed, we make a good choice!