Every step you take, I'll be watching you

I'm a little worried about the girls.

Yesterday, Omelette was a little lethargic, she was sleeping a lot and generally being very quiet, every time I looked at her she had drawn her neck in and was sleeping where she stood. Then she went into the house for AGES, I checked on her a couple of times and she seemed okay, then when she left the house there was a HUGE egg. The gorgeous one said that it was quite often a sign of brewing a big egg but she was doing it later on last night too. The others weren't "hanging out" with her either and that's apparently not a good sign, perhaps she's sickening for something - I do hope not.

Mabel also has a swelling on her wattle, it looks like she's got a gob stopper in her mouth, but it doesn't seem to be bothering her, I hope it's something that will go away soon and that it's not contagious!

Add to that, the Charlie fox was back again this morning in next door's garden and that all adds up to a big old worry-fest. Sophie always get a little more nervy when the fox is around too (yes, even more nervy than usual) so it's upsetting everyone. I know how much some people hate them, I know that given half the chance they would eat all the girls, including Sophie and I know that there are some people that truly believe they are vermin, but I have to say that the fox next door is incredibly beautiful. He's just a young-un and has lovely red fur and black ears.

There was a very funny moment in the garden yesterday. I had been to the bottom of the garden, the girls were out and I walked slowly towards the house. I stopped by the decking and turned around to find that all three of the hens had followed me and were standing behind me, it's like we were playing that game, you know the one you play when you're little when someone stands facing the other way and you have to creep up on them and if they turn around and see you move you have to go back to the start. The gorgeous one says it's called "Peep around the Corner" but I don't remember calling it that when I was little!

Well I have to go now and we'll just have to keep an extra special eye on the girls (all four of them) and make sure they stay well and protected from Charlie fox.