Monthly Archives: January 2012

Why double-glazing is a really bad idea.

 

All w arm and snug and cosy, tucked up in bed with no drafts, no ice on the inside of the windows, no eleventh blanket to keep the cold out – why not have double-glazing?

Because it’s sound-proof, that’s why. Last night (actually, very early this morning), we lost 15 chickens and 3 Guinea-fowl, brutally murdered, and we didn’t hear a thing. It wasn’t until we were making breakfast that we finally heard one of our Guinea-fowl making a racket (which is why we have them!) and I wandered out to investigate. Bits and pieces of chicken spread all over the place, some very sad and sorry-looking survivors, and two unknown dogs rushing about in a frenzy. So much for electric fences and predator-proof chicken-coops.

Now, I don’t object too much if we lose animals to foxes or pine-martens (actually, I object a lot, but you know what I mean) – they were here first, they’re just trying to earn a living etc. But dogs? We have toted up the year’s losses, and at over 50 birds we have decided that the chicken-ark system is just too expensive to carry on with. No more moving our animals around the farm, ensuring a even spread of grazing and manure. All locked up in a big secure cage, just like the locals do it from now on. And why?

Because the worthless, feckless, useless idiot Greeks have a great system for un-needed dogs – if you don’t want it, throw it away. But don’t do anything responsible, like find a new home for it, take it to a rescue shelter or some such. Oh no, much more sensible to take it off to the countryside and release it into the wild. “Fly free my beauty! Cretins, the lot of them. What they are actually doing is saying “I don’t want to be responsible for killing this dog, so I’ll get some other poor idiot to do it for me”. So, one dog, suddenly homeless, makes a bee-line for the nearest house, gets side-tracked by chickens, and blood-bath ensues. Dog then shot by owner of chickens, and good result all round, except for the poor chickens.

If it was just an occasional thing, I could understand it, but it is constant, and getting worse, what with the economic position at the moment. So, if you are Greek, and reading this, tell me please why you are so offensively uncaring. unthinking, and generally all-round useless. Thanking you in anticipation.

In case you think I am being a little harsh – here is what we salvaged from this morning’s entertainment.

20120119-002

Hard to believe, but this used to be 20 chickens….

20120119-003

Had to count up heads (the only bit left in a couple of cases) to make sure some weren’t just missing in action. Our final surviving Guinea fowl is very sad now – hardly has the heart to bully anyone. Here’s another question – if you are planning to breed guinea-fowl, and you only have one, who does it work? Immaculate conception? Cloning? Answers on a postcard, addressed to the dogs’ original owners please.

Still, there is some good news – we still have a pair of turkeys, and the sheep weren’t bothered (locked up for the night, but then so were the chickens ). We also have 25 layers still, so we can fire up the incubator and crack on with the next generation, just as soon as everyone gets over the shock of new housing and starts laying again. The circle of life continues.

Chipping (continued)

Joy of joys, we are still chipping branches. Have finished our land, and moved on to Tassos’ We have been offered so many people’s branches this year that we might still be going in May, which is a pretty daunting thought. Have to keep reminding ourselves of all the compost that it will make.

100415-011

[Doug the WWOOFer (spring 2010) posing with chipper]

20111010-008

Here’s a picture of last year’s chippings in October, with shiny new pigs on top. As you can see, the chippings have not done much over the summer (far too hot and dry), but the pigs have done amazing work and the pile has gone from 6 feet high to about 6 inches. Strongly recommend that everyone gets pigs to put on the compost heap. Outstanding result, and free bacon afterwards.

All we need now is a current picture of pigs and compost- must organise that.

6 month-old chickens

Having been set back by the olives, we have dispatched a dozen chickens a little later than usual – two months later to be precise. However,they are such a good size, with more meat than usual, that we are thinking that this might be the better way, despite the additional cost.

Given that 25% of everything that a chicken eats comes out the other end a few hours later, it is not a big problem to keep them for longer, but it makes the cost of each bird outrageously high if you were looking to make a profit on the deal. For us, chickens are the most effective method of fertilizing our land, with the added bonus of free eggs and meat.

A little note, we have finally got a result with the hot water and plucking issues. If you heat the water to 65 degrees Celsius (70 according to our thermometer), and dunk it sufficiently, the feathers come out without force! At last! All those internet posts and books saying how water loosens the feathers, and us tearing and heaving and cursing – you NEED a thermometer – scientific process and all that! Ellie can now pluck a chicken faster than I can draw it – the whole process is no longer a stress. Can’t wait for the motorised chicken-plucker, though!