These are our two new Minorcas. We were given them by some people we did a favour for. The couple live in town, next to the Old Cheeses (my parents), and have a couple of Minorcas but were having difficulty with a carpet snake threatening their beloved birds. They initially asked us if we would adopt their girls and I was happy to. The Nice Neighbour brought out his girls one day, "Diana" and "Mrs Johnson". They were large, plump birds with beautiful feathering. They came in a carry cage worthy of the most pedigree of animals. I had their 'room' ready and he gently introduced them to their new home. He was clearly unhappy about the situation but was doing what he considered the right thing for the birds. These girls had their own feed and treats and were obviously much loved pets.
The Nice Neighbours lasted three days and then rang me. Could they have Diana and Mrs Johnson back? They had ordered a snake-proof chicken coop and were waiting for it to be delivered. Of course it was not a problem to keep the girls until the Nice Neighbours were set up and so began the education of these suburban chickens.
Mrs Johnson pecked her reflection in the stainless steel bin in her 'room' and gave it the Minorca death stare for the first day. They seemed happy enough for five days when I eventually introduced them to the rest of the flock. They were like royalty and stood a head above the simple country birds. But now their education took a steep turn. They were on layer pellets now which they had refused to this point. They were allowed free range but did not set foot outside for another five days. The Nice Neighbours visited them and hand fed their girls their favourite food.
By the time they were due to go home they were thinner and not nearly as well feathered as they had been when they arrived. They had experienced the advances of those brutish roosters; those dreadful, flavourless layer pellets and not a lettuce head in sight. They had settled in very well and were free ranging as much as the local yocals but I think they and their four new companions in town are much more comfortable in their snake-proof chook house.
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Just found out that poor Diana has died. The Nice Neighbours were saddened at this loss of course. Sometimes these birds die and there is no explanation.
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