Just over a week ago our lovely hen-that-laid-blue-eggs, Blucia, died. There was a huge tempest that was blowing directly into their open hen house and I think she must have had a heart attack when an exceptional gust blew in. She had laid us a final egg and was still a little warm when I found her. I’m very sad to have lost her so soon after she arrived. Just six months.

That left Brighton the Sussex hen on her own. So I built her a temporary hen house and a new run so that she can see the new hens while they are in quarantine. I ordered them from Ferme de Beaumont in northern France and they were delivered by a very sweet courier in a few hours, travelling overnight. I could have bought hens locally but none of them are inoculated against common hen diseases and I want a strong, healthy group. They arrived in purpose made boxes in pretty good shape. I popped them into their run then, later, put each one into the hen house overnight. The following morning I opened their door to find them all happily snuggled into their hemp bedding.

I ordered a poule russe fermière, a coucou fermière and a cendrée fermière. That means that they’re all bred for laying rather than looks. However, I think they look magnificent. They’ve been here just over 48 hours now and they’re doing fine. The red one is called Bonnie as in Bonnie Raitt, The Cuckoo and Cinders. Not very imaginative, but these are rugged girls so they don’t need fancy names.

And yes, The Cuckoo has a deformed toe.

What do you think?