Chickens enjoying the Spring!

Though the chickens (15 of them, 12 hens and 3 cockerels) get plenty of food in their henny house, including layers pellets and lots of scraps (veggie only), they also love rootling for worms and such like in the garden.  AND they eat grass.  I didn't know that till I actually SAW them.  It does mean once I start getting young shoots appearing in the garden the hens dive on them for a feast, so any veggies or new plants need to be protected.

They like rootling among the dead grass under the willow trees too. Lots of nice creepy-crawlies to eat...

And it's an ideal place to have a rest and do a bit of grooming and preening.....

and then on for another graze....

Though the daffodils mostly out, much of the garden comes to life much later than in the South of UK.  Well I can't blame it.  Stick your head above the ground too early and it will get blasted by the winds!  This border is starting to come to life again with pulmonaria (lung wort), other perennials as well as the daffs.

Here are a lovely wee group of miniature daffs. They come out quite early and seem to do very well in my garden.

And the fluffy buds are appearing on the willow trees!  Keeping the young leaves safe and warm inside....

While on the other side of the wall over in Stromness a mist is hanging over the landscape....

But it's that time of year when I can use this sign again, to let folk who come "a-knocking" where I am,  so I'm a very happy person :-)