Drought?, what drought?

You could be forgiven for thinking that the 1st picture on this post is of a swimming pool not a main road in Essex.

Ever since a drought was declared in the South of England it has not stopped raining. Today for the first time we have localised flooding in my part of Essex. I think it was probably the result of a blocked drain or two but it has not stopped for a whole day solid.

We took the side with lower water but cars were flying through the deeper parts, wickedly we were hoping their engines might conk out and get stuck (mean aren't we)

Getting the chick brooder ready

I have added the extension brooder box to the incubator now as thats where the baby chicks will live for about 7-10 days or so, depending on how many of them hatch and how big they are.

doubles the floor space for them when chicks are born

adjoining door they walk through until they get too big

 

Once they are hatched and have dried off for a day or so in the incubator itself, i can open a clever door my hubby made which leads through to the perspex box which will have food and water for them. Then they are free to come and go between boxes.

The smaller box which was the incubator will have heat still and the perspex one no heat so they can regulate themsleves. 

Its good to see them in the clearer box tottering around madly for a few minutes then suddenly crumpling to the ground in exhaustion and napping. They do make me smile.

Top 5 Friday - Food

Top 5 Friday

I’m going to begin my weekly Top 5 lists with food likes and dislikes.  Some would say I am a fussy eater still but I’m a million times better than I used to be.

So, here we go then

Top 5 Favourite Foods

1. Potato – I could just live off the wonderful spud coz there are so many ways to cook it aren’t there.

2. Beef – and especially when its slow roasted with a nicely done crust or a juicy steak – Yum!

3. Pasta – again something that’s so versatile I enjoy it in all its forms

4. Rice – plain is good but flavoured, fried or with vegetables even yummier

5. Chocolate – Yes I know I was being very healthy up to now but its my biggest downfall. Milk or plain but not white.

Do you agree with mine, if not what are your favourites?

Top 5 Least Favourite Foods

1. Fish – its not good I know, that I hate things that are good for you. I just can’t be doing with all the bones, skin and the general smell of fish - *shudder* This includes shellfish too by the way.

2. Lamb – don’t like the flavour, texture or the greasiness it leaves behind in your mouth plus I’m a sucker for little baby lambs.

3. Rice Pudding – I like plain sweet boiled rice but not when its cooked In milk and as for the skin on top, that’s the devil’s handiwork.

4. Yoghurt – Why would anyone eat milk that has gone off just because someone has added some fruit and flavouring to it. (although I did crave fruits of the forest yoghurt when I was pregnant, how weird is that!)

5. Offal – I was given this a lot as a child presumably because it was cheap and I was none the wiser as to what it was then.  I have never cooked or served this up to my family though.

Anybody share my dislikes?  What foods can you absolutely not abide?

More Top 5 Friday next week

Eggs hatching minus 6 days and counting

Here are the 4 out of 6 remaining eggs that im incubating. I have left 2 Speckled Sussex, 1 chamois Owlbeard and 1 brahma (may be buff or black)

These are in our homemade incubator

 They are due to hatch next Thursday, May 3rd but may be a day earlier or later. I stop turning them after Monday to give the chicks a chance to orientate themselves and get ready to break through those shells and say hi.
Im going to candle them one last time tonight just to check they are all okay and that the air sac is large enough for them.
I love doing this every year its so exciting waiting for them to hatch.  This time next week i could be a chicken grandma too.

I'm going to be a cat grandma

Just found out today that our youngest cat Meg

is having kittens, 3 the vet said, or maybe more.  Her due date is about 3 weeks away so we have been cleaning and tidying certain areas of the house ready for her and now we need some boxes to line with the softest fleece in case she takes a fancy to using any of them to give birth in. This will be the first time for us. I am more used to hatching eggs and rearing chicks than with a live birth but i cant wait.
I have some eggs due to hatch on 3rd May (Speckled Sussex, Owlbeard and Brahma in case you were wondering) and then Meg is due to give birth or kitten on 16th May. We will be overrun with new life. Picture the scene...
Chicks will be cheeping, growing their first feathers, learning to open and flap their wings and the kittens will be running around annoying our other cats, climbing up the furniture and our legs (oh the pain of those tiny claws) and I will be standing in the middle of it all wondering what possessed me. Am i mad to still want to go ahead anyway?  Answers on a postcard to...