Children and hens

This blog is about us - for family as well as anyone who is interested in what we consider a lovely life on a farm in the Peak Distict, so apologies if this proud grandmother puts rather too many pictures on of our grandchildren at times.Our first grandson, William Joseph Harry Broadhurst with his little cousin from America Nicolas Adam Woodall. William was absolutely lovely with Nicolas and even now goes all sweet and tender when we get up pictures from their visit on the computer. We can't have everything in life and feel very blessed that we have William and Nicole living at the farm but, of course, would love to see Alison, Adam and Nicolas more than once a year.
William is just 3 and he loves diggers, dumpers and trains so is perfect for his father and grandfather.
Nicolas and Alison visited Nic's Uncle Bill and Aunt Anne while they were over from Atlanta and this was such a cute moment - the 87 year old great-great uncle with the youngest member of the family. Anne and Bill have always been more like an older sister and brother to us and we keep in close touch. Mind you in this picture Nicolas had decided to get back to playing and was wriggling madly!
Nicole and William regressing with their cousin.
Nic opening the field gate to go and feed his hens. This new batch of hens have been a great success- they are very pretty and lay an egg each a day, which is good going for free range hens. We try to put 6 new laid eggs into each cottage as a treat for new arrivals and Nic gives away as many as he can to older Church friends who really love the freshness of them. The hens get very excited when they see liberation is at hand and cluck away madly. Nic keeps them in until about 10am when the fox danger has passed and when they have laid in the henhouse rather than in the nettles and rushes.Excitement as Farmer Nic opens the pop hole and the hens and cockerel tumble out.
Nic gives them hen corn in their hen house but they also love my left over bread crusts soaked and thrown out on the grass for them - I suppose it is akin to cake for them.