Introducing Foxy

This afternoon, I received a very exciting offer from a local chicken breeder – he had a year old porcelain millie fleur pullet he was looking to re-home. Unfortunately, someone else who had promised to take her kept letting him down with a myriad of excuses. When he discovered the coop hadn’t arrived he refused to sell the bird to the person and messaged me instead. I, of course, said I would take her and sent him some photos of the Omlet at the allotment to show we could properly care for her.

Later on, after agreeing we would pick her up after work, he messaged to say he was coming into town and could drop her off. I immediately agreed and half an hour later, there was a knock on the door. When I opened up the cardboard box, there she was. Gorgeous pale cream and grey-blue feathers, a single red comb and a pair of beady eyes looking up at me. In the kitchen, I took her out and checked her over. Her feathery legs and feet needed a clean so I got out the bucket, filled the bottom three inches with warm water and a little soap. In she went and seemed quite content. That was until she got bored and in one gigantic leap, jumped out of the bucket onto the rim, spotted Vasili our cat, shrieked in fear and tried to fly away. Poor Vasili didn’t have a clue what was going on! I caught her, wrapped her in a towel and dried her off, removing as many of the mud balls around her feet as gently as possible.

As she dried, I put her in the little indoor coop where the silkies stay to dry off on wet days. In high dungeon, she furiously began to peck at the bedding, spending a good half an hour having a dry bath to make up for the wet, slightly bubbly bath from earlier. My husband rolled his eyes and asked where this particular chicken was going to live. I love this man. He knows when he is beaten and just rolls with it. I told him, our newest arrival would be in the Omlet at the allotment. Probably fearing the chicken would end up staying in the house too long, he suggested taking her straight away.

Back in the box, we dashed her to the allotment. As we talked, there were occasional clucks from the cardboard box which I couldn’t decide was exasperation (in a box AGAIN!) or curiosity (where am I going now?). I opened up the nest box door and placed her inside. This allows her to know where the nest is and the perches before heading on out to meet Roxy and Trixy. There were several minutes of relative calm where everyone ignored the new arrival. Then Roxy went over to her and gave her a peck on the head. Soon Trixy joined in shouting at the new arrival with her shrill trill. But Foxy gave as good as she got. All three were reading up and shouting at each other at one point – it was all quite impressive!

With the rain incoming, we dashed home and we will see what happens between the bantams tomorrow morning! Hopefully Foxy will settle in quickly and she will certainly give Roxy a run for her money!