Day 14.

Mindy. Acrylic on canvas by F L Campbell

Bush eggs: one. Nest box eggs: half! Feed hopper: empty to start.

Oh feathers, I’m so embarrassed! I was just waking up this morning, stretched, yawned, did the usual early morning perch poo, it felt a bit different, looked behind me and there it was – a shell-less egg! I was mortified. I thought quickly and said to the flock, “I’m sure The Female Person filled the feed hopper last night,” and when everyone flapped out of the house eagerly I was able to cover the shell-less mess with some nearby straw. I didn’t mind the grumbles about the empty feed hopper – and it was filled later anyway. Anything is better than my shame being made public.

Checked on Steve. She’s all right. It’s sunny and she is warm, dry and peaceful again.

After telling Paula the story of Blacky, the Ancient One, the other day I was inspired to tell Steve about The First Family as Blacky was a part of it. I recall Blacky passing down stories of Mother Mindy who was a beautiful, rich, dark brown bantam. Mindy grew up without any other chickens around due to a tragic accident involving her brother and a Boxer dog. As a result of having no chicken companions Mindy became very fond of people. She was especially fond of The Female Person and would apparently jump up onto her shoulder and ride around like a pirate’s parrot. She was allowed inside too, for treats and cuddles and a speck of television watching (which apparently she didn’t care for). By all accounts Mother Mindy was a most extraordinary and adventurous chicken, and she became a wonderful mother to Blacky, her brother Sunset Sam and odd wee Morky – though how she did so with no rooster in evidence raises difficult questions to this day.