Blow wind, blow

Well, feeding the animals earlier this evening was an interesting and exhausting experience.

Once I got away from the shelter of the buildings and windbreaks, the wind was so strong I had to bend double and lurch from fence post to fence post with one hand for the post and the other being dragged sideways as the bucket of feed tried to fly off.

I had to do that four times as there was no way I could carry four buckets at a time as I normally do.

Fortunately, there was enough water in the troughs to see the pigs through to mid-morning tomorrow or I’d still have been working at dinner time.

But there is always a humorous side to life on the croft and today it was courtesy of the chickens in the main run.

When I went out, most of the hens had either retreated inside or under their very solid shelter.

But three of the new girls had been caught by the wind and when I found them, the wind had them pinned a couple of feet up the wire netting that encloses the run.

Their wings were extended flat against the netting and all they could do was roll their heads and eyes madly.

I was sorely tempted to nip inside for the camera, but couldn’t leave the poor things there for another few minutes.

I managed to peel them off the wire one at a time and then put them in through the pophole of the hen house. Then I collected up the hens under the shelter and put them in as well.

It made for a lot of very subdued chickens tonight when I checked them for the final time and came in. Still, they are quiet for a change!