Please meet the newest members of my extensive brood, Quito and LaPaz:
Thant's my Mum holding Quito. Or is it LaPaz? I don't know how I'm going to tell them apart yet. I also can't tell you what breed of Bantam Chook they are yet - my Dad got them for me when he built an aviary for a breeder (I'm going to ring the breeder and get all the info. Plus ask if I can trim the feathers around the eyes, I swear I don't know how they can see). He knew I would like chooks, but a couple of funky bantams (because my life is not dependent on a high egg yield) and he thought they would fit the bill. Let me tell you, they are bizarre, and horribly cute, with the most amazing iridescent black and grey body feathers, and what my Mum calls chrysanthemums for heads. Their head feathers wobble around when they peck like some bad 1950's boufant! Granted, these aren't the best photos, but this was the first I had seen them too, and they were taken amidst hysterical giggling. They are at my parents house for the moment while my Dad builds them a chook-house to keep them safe at night and while I'm at work. The rest of the time they'll have the run of the yard, and provide a wonderful 'composting' system and loads of fertiliser for my veg in addition to scrumptious eggy goodness. I've been reading up my Jackie French's "Chook Book" (oh how we love that Gardening Goddess in our household, we call her Aunty Jackie; she is JUST the sort of Aunty everyone wishes they had. And her property is amazing - we travelled four hours there and back in one day to see it in an Open Garden Scheme weekend, with her givig the tour. Just the best!), and I'm all excited about their arrival. I'm not sure what the Galahs and Magpies will think, that could be interesting.
I suppose you are wondering about their names? Come on, I know you are. Weeeelllll, got some VERY exciting news: in September 2009 my brother S and I are going on a six week trek through Peru! I know, how exciting! We just have to save our pennies now...In any case, the tour starts in Quito (Ecuador) and ends in La Paz (Bolivia), and it seemed the perfect names for my fluffy little friends. You'll be hearing loads more about the Peru holiday over the next 12 months (I get so excited I nearly hyperventilate every time I think about it)...
Comments