Welcome to Our Newest Family Members

It's ok, keep your hair on - we're not having another baby. In fact I gave all our girls clothes to our dear friend Kate who is due to have her baby Lucy any time now. Kate prompted paid us in chickens. So in between building play rooms, celebrating Christmas and life in general Sam and the kids have been building the chateau le chook. We sat brainstorming what available materials we had and I'm proud to say that the only thing we had to buy was the chicken wire. 

We used a trundle bed for the base. We (Sam) just knocked the slats all up one end for the nesting box to sit in and then popped some wire on the other half of the floor. 

Next we turned an old cupboard into the nesting box. Sam made an a frame from timber off cuts, and put some tin (spare bits of the fence) as cover up one end and chook wire up the other. 

The chooks had been holidaying at a friends while we worked on their accommodation. Yesterday Kate went out and caught them and brought them in. I did question whether a very pregnant lady should be chasing chooks. Kate is apparently very ready for young Lucy to arrive, and was happy to do the chook chasing providing no video cameras were involved. So, without further ado, introducing Scuzzy and Middle Chook. (The girls were already named and I'm sure in Miedecke tradition they will have new names before the week is out). 

The kids were extremely excited - especially Arthur, and I must say they are far better babysitters than abc2. Only issue I can see is that as we are gearing up to use the potty Santa Claus brought Arthur is having a lot of nappy free time. I'm a bit worried if he gets too close he might get pecked on the little pecker...

Kate had warned us that they were union chooks (no eggs on weekends) and thought that considering the holiday season we may not get any eggs til the 6th of January. But, look what we got

Funny thing was the girls escaped when the latch to the nesting box was left open and Sam (who was feeling a bit average, being New Year's Day) had to chase them around to catch them. It made for some entertainment let me tell you. Scuzzy can be quite elusive. Ah, he's a good egg my husband!!

The kids enjoyed our first egg scrambled (along with some of the eggs Jane sent us home from at the Liffey) for dinner. Yummola!