Occasional Scribbles

I am pleased to report that the single surviving chick, ‘lit-l’un’ is still thriving.  He/she is escorted around the garden, her horizons growing daily as four cockrils take on the mantle of protector.  Little feathers are appearing and I hope soon he will be able to fly up onto the perch at night and take his place alonside his errant mother and the other members of the family.  His mother has all but forgotten he belongs to her and fortunately ‘speckle’ who is still sitting on her eggs, continues to allow him a free bed each night under her warm feathers.  Bless her.

He is really a darling, full of dare-devil and courage and has had a few near scrapes with opportunistic rooks and crows who would steal him in a flash if weren’t for the steadfast care of the cockrils who stand their ground and chase them off.  This valiant behaviour may also be to do with the fact that they are also safeguarding their exorbitantly expensive grain from these frequent raiders.  But maybe not.  I am honestly struck by the care of these four lads and wonder if they already know that he is a girl and hoping that this protective  behaviour will carry merit when she is grown and chooses a suitor from amongst them.  Alternatively, if he is a he, they may hope to have an ally against each other when they will become aggressive over their respective choice of hens.  It is this charming diligence that keeps me from bumping a few on the head (and I am a weed),  for there are too many lads and not enough lasses at the moment.  Perhaps then it is the third reason for such excellent behaviour.  Necks shall not be rung – yet!