...And in health

THE CHICKEN BLOG: A BIRD'S EYE VIEW FROM THE GROUND
July 2008
I was down buying chicken feed from the shop and saw a tiny notice offering Andalusian hens of all colours for sale. Of course this had to be followed up and one evening I went with Paco to a rural cortijo up in the hills. I was amazed to find I now had an introduction to Almuñécar's main breeder of speciality hens.

Although he sells surplus birds, he assured me it was his hobby and was keen to show me the hundreds of birds he keeps – mainly Javas and Andalusian but with plenty of pretty bantams. There were also birds who could only be kept alone as they are fighters. The Andalusians came in all sizes, and the cockerels as always were very showy – standing almost a metre high with very long wattles hanging down.

Although the notice had only been up three days the breeder had already sold out of grey hens and almost out of grey and white mottled ones – but luckily there was still a small one left (plus all the males) so we agreed a price of 12 euros and after resisting pressure to buy a puppy or two, at 10.15pm I left to settle special one in…

You would think that one hen is much like another and that they’d adapt quickly to new and improved lodgings, and although she seemed keen to become part of the flock, the older members were very put out and have behaved in an extremely unfriendly manner. They have chased her unmercifully and attack her beautiful feathers at any opportunity. So much so, that I have had to separate her most of the time. While she is in the special pen, the others glare at her through the netting and march up and down the perimeter fence in an intimidating fashion, while she makes a pathetic squawking in a vain attempt at getting sympathy. The other five are real bullies, and the dilemma now is whether to attempt further integration – and risk a bald chicken – or keep her in isolation and continue to stoke the others’ jealous mood?