Washing Up

Mum tells us that she has been washing up all day.  Saucepans, colanders, bowls, kettles ... the list goes on.  Apparently this is what you need to do to make sure that when camp stuff is packed away it is clean for the next year.  Dad went down to visit her while she was doing it, had a cup of tea and a sandwich and then came back home again.  He said that it was quite an operation.  We think he meant this in the military sense rather than the hospital sense but we aren't too sure about that.

When she came back, Dad cooked her tea and then she did the washing up.  Again.

Fried, Egg and Spoon xxx

Fried's comments on the one that was fired

Oh dear, we are back to the quiet departure.  I think she said 'thank you' but it just sounded like 'q'.

OK, so I might be missing some feathers around my bottom so it is difficult for me to comment on fashion, but really.  What on earth have you done with your hair and why are you dressed like a member of some strange airline's cabin crew?

Not that I should be commenting on the panel, but those are definitely NOT Karren's original teeth.  Too straight, too white.  Nice, but I get the feeling that they are still a bit awkward in her mouth.

I did like the play.  Obviously it didn't work, but it is a new way of introducing a pitch.  I think that we could probably do better...

Fried's comments on The Apprentice

It is supposed to be Baked doing the comment this week.  I know that she would really have liked the programme on biscuits, she was always pigging out!  But you have me to do the commentary instead, so I hope I will do Baked proud.

So, where to begin?  The idea of a biscuit within a biscuit is mad.  But I do like Tom a lot, he is always very funny and I think that he would sit with us and give us grapes.  The idea of the popscuit is even worse.  The name sounds like what we do on the decking.

You really should not sulk if someone doesn't take on your idea.  "I don't like it" in a moany voice is not going to make people change their minds.  Live with it - sometimes you have to go with what other people want.  And they have combined the ideas together now to include something that you suggested so you can't moan too much.

" Go big or go home".  Wow.  That's massive.  It will either make or break that team.  Either they will admire the balls and make a big order or they won't like the condescending attitude...well, well, well they admired the balls, big style!  I can't believe that they didn't get one order on the other team though!

Ooooh fighting!  We do that with cabbids sometimes, but not really to this level!  If I'm honest I have to say that I don't really like Melody much because she is too full of herself.   Of course you should be proud of your achievements but not go on so much about them and make everyone else feel small.  If she did that to me I would peck her.

Difficult to call at this stage.  On one hand all of them should go really.  I'm going to stick my neck out and say Zoe should go.  Will Lord Sugar agree?

Yes he does!  If Nick or Karren leave their jobs I would definitely be a contender.

On a positive note about the biscuits, I would probably choose to eat the losing biscuit!  There was too much chocolate on the other one for my liking.

Seatbelt Sensors

Further to my previous post on this matter, the sensor does not go off when you have a bottle of wine in your handbag.  Just so that you know.  That is not to say that carrying a bottle of wine is a normal occurrence (or a bottle of Maggi for that matter), it just so happened that I was given it as a gift today and my handbag was the nearest repository for it at the time.  I will of course keep you updated with regards to any other unusual items that might find their way into my handbag and the effect on the sensor.

Chicken Heaven

Chicken heaven would have the best worms, lots of hanging cabbids and machines that fire grapes out all the time so that chickens can run after them.  Also there would be lots of other chickens to play with and they would all get on really well (well perhaps there would be the odd peck or two).  We are sure that Baked must be enjoying this experience.  She got ill again over the weekend and this time the antibiotics did not work.  It is not really the same without her here and Mum and Dad have been very sad.  Mum was at camp when it happened so Dad had to tell her over the phone.  It looked like their eyes were raining, but we have since been told that this is something called crying which is what humans do when they are sad.  Mum says that Baked will still be near us because they are going to keep her ashes in a little box.

Fried, Egg and Spoon xxx

The weather

... is very nice today which is good because Mum is going to camp.  She has explained this concept to us a little bit more; apparently when you go to sleep you don't have a proper roof over your head you just have a bit of material.  You also don't sleep in a bed, but on the ground.  In some ways we think this is quite good because it is very natural, and we go to sleep on the ground sometimes.  In other ways we think it is very odd because we know what you humans are like when it comes to rain and we can't imagine that a piece of material protects you from the rain properly.  Mum assures us that it does as long as you don't touch it when it is wet.  Apparently this is one of the rules of camping.

However, we heard the laydee on the news say that it was going to get wet later on.  Luckily we have our playhouse that we can shelter in.  Perhaps we should offer it to Mum so that she doesn't get too wet.

Fried, Baked, Egg and Spoon xxxx

Playhouse

Dad has moved the playhouse to the corner of the decking.  It is sticking out at an angle from the corner and looks very tasteful.  He says that it means that the patio does not look quite so crowded.  As far as we are concerned it means that there is more space on the patio for us to poo on.

Fried, Baked, Egg and Spoon xxxx

Camping

Mum tells us that she is going camping tomorrow.  We are not really sure what this involves but she has been packing wellies (so we infer that it will be muddy), a head torch (so we infer that it will be dark) and a pillow (so we infer that she is a wuss and needs some home comforts).  She tells us that she will be cooking spaghetti bolognese for everyone tomorrow.  We did ask that she save us some spaghetti because we like that but she said that she thinks that the 60 people that she is cooking for will be finishing it all off.

So we are going to ask Dad if he can give us spaghetti instead since he is now on duty.  He has just given us some tuna pasta bake so we reckon that we can persuade him to sort us out with spaghetti.

We have just had a lovely thought.  Spaghetti for 60 people is lots.  So maybe we will try to go to camp with Mum.  Do you think she would notice if we crawled into her sleeping bag and kept very quiet?

Fried, Baked, Egg and Spoon xxxx

P.S. This does mean that we will not be posting anything for the next few days.  Normally it is Mum that helps us with the blog and we don't think that Dad will let us use his computer.

The Bed Battle

The non-understanding of chickens continues.

Tonight Baked was on the bars sleeping and Spoon was in the nest box.  Alone.

Is it that Spoon has taken the upper hand, or simply that Baked couldn't be bothered to walk that extra few steps to the nest box?

Egg's comment on the one that was fired

Awwww wasn't he polite?  But since he thought that chickens look like naked cats or vice versa, it's definitely about time he went.

Having said that, it was a difficult call this week.  Personally I would have bought Natasha in but I am not sure that it is possible to fire someone because they say 'Yeh' too much and wear jeans when they are going on a business visit.

I like the fact that they are making biscuits next week.  Mum has never given us biscuits (I don't think she is supposed to); I think we would like them if she did.

Egg x

Egg's comment on The Apprentice

'Do you think we are going abroad?'  Don't be silly, you just need your passport for fun; numpty!

Did you know that I used to be able to speak six languages?  Chinese (e.g. Peking Chicken), French (e.g. coq au vin), Scottish (e.g. cock-a-leekie soup), Indian (e.g. chicken korma), American (e.g. KFC) and English (e.g. chicken twizzlers thanks to Jamie Oliver).
It is hilarious watching them; one the one hand you have some people who are as good as me and on the other there are those that are struggling with even speaking their native tongue ....

I'm a chicken and even I know that La Redoute is massive.  It's big over here for goodness sake so it's bound to be bigger in the country that started it.  The only negative thing is that I don't think that their chicken range is very big.

Jim, how can you push treacle up a hill?  Why would you want to?

Can I just comment on clothing, as we chickens like to do.  Natasha ... JEANS?  Really?  Did they call 'yeh' to you out of the wardrobe this morning?

Ha ha the winners got flying lessons.  I can fly, they should have come to me!

Egg x

'New Season' Cabbids

So, apparently green is the new white.  Mum assures us that what she has hung out this morning really is a white cabbids, since that is what is written on the label.  She did show us the label but since we can't read this didn't really help us very much.  However, it looks very green to us.  And a tiny bit on the crinkly side.  Therefore looking a little bit like a Savoy cabbids which we don't really like but then we haven't had one of those hung up so we might actually like it if it was.  Getting back to the point, we have tried it, and we are eating it, but really feel that a more accurate label would simply be 'Green Cabbids' rather than 'White Cabbids - New Season'.

Fried, Baked, Egg and Spoon xxxx

P.S. Mum hung up a WHOLE one this morning.  We think that this is because she is exam marking.  Again.

Friend or Foe?

How do I not understand chickens?

Last night, due to my oversight, leaving the egg port open after cleaning, Baked decided that she was going to sleep on the roosting bars and when Spoon tried to get in, she wouldn't let her, so Spoon thought that sleeping in the shed might be a good idea.  All was rectified when I shut the egg port and moved Baked back to the nest box.  Spoon sauntered in as though nothing had happened.  However, the thoughts of Baked and Spoon becoming best buddies was dashed once more.

Tonight, they are both in the nest box and by all accounts Spoon has the prime position.

How does that happen?

If anyone can offer an explanation I would be most grateful.

Happy Father's Day

Dear Dad

We did get you a card but it is here and you are not.  So you will have to wait until later to open it.  So we will wish you a Happy Father's Day on here instead.  You can share our new playhouse if you like as a treat.

Fried, Baked, Egg and Spoon xxxx

P.S. We love you.

Playhouse

We have been playing in our playhouse a little bit.  Mum bought it back this evening; it was raining when she put it up which was a lot of fun for her.  Shame it's too small for her to shelter in as well.

She has put a nice plank in it so we can perch on it, and the food can stay dry on the floor.  We think that maybe it could also face the house, if Dad moves the bbq, but we'll let him decide about that.

We like the little lantern that is hanging outside the door.  It makes it look like the front of Mum and Dad's house and gives it a bit of character.

Fried, Baked, Egg and Spoon xxxx

Rain

It has been raining again today so we have been mainly hiding underneath the bbq.  We are very much looking forward to getting our playhouse so that we have more space.  It has been so tight under there that Spoon has had to pretend to be a penguin when she was standing so that her bottom did not stick out from underneath the bbq.  Not quite as much as Mumble, a chicken in China.  Here's the story ...


Instead of scratching in the ground and roosting on a perch at night, Mumble waddles from side to side.  Farmer Lu Xi got the bird as a chick, reports CEN.  "He only has little wings, just like a penguin, which he sticks out when he walks.  I guess that's why he never flies," he said.


Local media at Jiangsu nicknamed the chicken Mumble after the character in the film Happy Feet, about a penguin who can't sing so dances instead.  Lu added: "I had not seen the film, but I like the name, although my bird can't dance - and I don't think he can swim either.  But he should be happy - my family all like him and so we decided to keep him instead of putting him in the pot."

We'd like to have Mumble come and live with us ... we think it would be fun!

Fried, Baked, Egg and Spoon xxx

A Polite Request

Dear Dad

When the title said 'a polite request' it was supposed to be about me talking to Egg.  Not for you to politely request if I could set up the Sky+ box to record something for you ...

Silly Dad!

But of course I will set it up for you.

Spoon x

A Polite Request

Egg!

Please get a move on and go up the steps to bed.

OK then, I'll just push my way past you because you are standing there looking like a muppet.

Just come on up when you're ready.

You do realise that you have spoilt the bedtime ritual now...

Spoon x

Religious Experience

Looking at and looking after chickens is a category 5 religious experience according to Richard Swinburne.  If you don't believe me then you will need to go to the library and do some private study to check it out.

Spoon's comment on the one that was fired

An interesting choice.  Polite when leaving, so that's a good thing.  Lord Sugar is starting to get tough on the ones that are left now.  They need to take on board what has been said next week or they'll be out quicker than I can lay an egg.

I might need to ask Mum to use the internet again.  Could anyone tell me what a kollostomi bag is?  If it's a bag it wouldn't be much good as a magazine would it?  Is it anything like a handbag and can you carry chicken treats in it?

Mum has just told me what it is.  I don't want any chicken treats from that bag.  Ever.

I agree with the audience.  And I think that Jim should have gone.

I like his leaving present.  I wonder if they do the same thing in a chicken shape?

Spoon x

Spoon's comment on The Apprentice 2

Obviously not too boobish then.

Spoon x

Spoon's comment on The Apprentice

Well, this is certainly an interesting programme.  Once more, they have not even considered the possibility of creating a magazine about chickens, or for chickens.  (Although, as an aside, there is already one out there which is really good called 'Your Chickens' - Mum gets it).

They really have gone for opposite ends of the spectrum and early indications are unclear about which is most likely to be successful on the street.  However, it is about advertising so that's where they need to work hard.  Not being in advertising myself (chickens tend not to do too much of that) I am not sure what a 'rate card' is.  I am going to ask Mum to look it up on the internet.

She has come back to me.  Apparently this is something that shows the rates for advertising, which is what you would pay for an advert, which differs with the size of the advert.  I am guessing that they should be negotiating these rates, not just sticking to what they started with.

Can I just say one thing about Natasha?  How many times do you need to say 'Yeh'?  STOP!  You sound stupid!

I really can't call this one right now.  Are they both too patronising?  Is the lad's mag too boobish?  Is the old people's mag too fogeyish?

They really should have gone with chickens.

Spoon x

Shopping

Dear Fried, Baked, Egg and Spoon

I am sorry that I did not get you anything in the shop today.  Remember that I was shopping for camp, not for me.  It just so happened that the Maggi Seasoning was close to the large containers of Mayonnaise and Mango Chutney that I needed to buy for camp, so it seemed a bit silly not to take the chance to get it while I could.  There wasn't really much there that I could pick up for you unless of course you wanted some Mango Chutney.

Mum x

P.S. I don't really think that you would like Mango Chutney.

Shopping

Mum

We would like to register our disappointment.  We know you went shopping today.  We understand that you bought some Maggi for Dad because he likes it.  We would like to know why you didn't buy us anything.  There must have been nice stuff that chickens would like there.

Fried, Baked, Egg and Spoon xxxx

Seatbelt Sensors

An interesting fact.  When you put a catering size bottle of Maggi Seasoning in your handbag and then put your handbag on the front seat of your car, the seatbelt sensor kicks in and asks you to put a seatbelt on your 'passenger' (it doesn't do it when it is just the handbag, just in case you are wondering).  I didn't bother, I just put the bottle behind my seat.

I bought it for the OH because he is particularly partial to a little drizzle of Maggi over his food.  Savoury food that is; as far as I am aware he doesn't partake of Maggi with dessert.

Shopping

Mum

If you are going shopping, and not just any shopping but bulk shopping, then perhaps you could buy us things we like in bulk.  Like cheese and grapes and fiss.  You know it makes sense.

Fried, Baked, Egg and Spoon xxxx

Shopping

Tomorrow I am going shopping.  Not just any old shopping, you understand, but shopping to cater for a school camp that runs for two weeks in four shifts accommodating a total of about 200 students.  It's a fabulous experience (the camp, notsomuch the shopping) and it enables our students to grow as individuals and learn lots of new skills.  The brains behind the whole operation is Pip, without whom the camp (and the shopping) would not happen.  It does of course mean that I will be away from the chickens (and the blog, briefly - no electricity or internet connections in the field that we occupy) but Dad will sort out the chickens (not the blog; he reads it, not writes it).

We take some of the students with us to help.  They particularly like shopping for crisps and chocolate biscuits and leave me to look for washing-up liquid.  C'est la vie!

Red Top Fly Trap

Now for an ad break.  Following on from the previous post, chicken poos tend to attract flies.  If you want to get rid of them (the flies, not the poos) then I highly recommend the following product (to get rid of the poos, you have to manually sweep them up, I'm afraid).

You see the picture in the top right hand corner?  The top black layer is flies.  Dead ones.  Not that I am trying to be gruesome or anything, but this little baby can kill 20,000 flies.  That's a lot.  I'm pretty sure that the one at the top of the garden, which is doing a sterling job, has about 5,000 in it already.

The only thing is that you have to put it well away from the house because the way in which it works is that it attracts the little beasties with the most awful smell.  But it works brilliantly.

If you are a Buddhist and reading this post, I'm sorry that I have broken one of the Precepts by putting this product in the garden.  But it does make it a more pleasant environment ....

Poos in the shed

Dear Fried, Baked, Egg and Spoon 

You are quite right that there were less poos on the patio and decking because it was raining yesterday.  I discovered that you had done most of them in the shed instead.  Luckily for me I was wearing my pink crocs.  Otherwise I would have had pretty dirty feet ... Thank you to Dad for cleaning it up before I got back from work today :)

Mum x

Beauty Salon

Dad's comments to Mum when she got back from the salon:

"You're looking quite pink".

Is this good or not?  We don't know really because we are all different colours, but not pink.

But we think that a pink chicken would look quite nice.

Does the salon do chicken beauty treatments?

Fried, Baked, Egg and Spoon xxxx

Playhouse

We could really have done with the playhouse today because we have spent most of it underneath the bbq because the weather has been horrible.  Well, not if you are a plant or a duck, but if you are us, or people riding motorbikes at Moto GP or driving cars at the Grand Prix or people watching either of these events, then it is horrible.  Mum tells us that she is picking up the playhouse next weekend so we hope that the weather is better this week.  On a positive note, it means that we are unable to poo on the patio or the decking so there is less for Dad to clean up.

Fried, Baked, Egg and Spoon xxxx

Playhouse

This is our new playhouse.  Mum is going to pick it up soon and we are looking forward to playing in it.  Is she mad?  Yes.  But it's only because she loves us.

Fried, Baked, Egg and Spoon xxxx

Beauty Salon

I'm off to the Beauty Salon now for my birthday treat.  It's not actually my birthday but it's a present that my OH bought me for my birthday and I have only just booked it.  I am going to be rubbed over with salt and get a new face.

The chickens say it is silly because all I really need to do is roll around in the dustbath for a few minutes and I will be beautiful again.

Which is a tad difficult since I was not really very beautiful to start with.

Ho hum, anything will be an improvement!

Playhouse

I have put in a bid on a playhouse on ebay.

The OH has agreed that we can move some stuff around on the patio to put it there if I win it.

Considering the inclement weather we have had recently it would be good for the girls if I do.

I know that you are thinking that I am mad, but you are also thinking that it is a brilliant idea.  No, really, you are ...

An update from Baked

Today is the last day of my medysin.  I don't know why Mum and Dad insist that I have it because I am better, but apparently you need to complete it to the end of the course so that is why I am going to look silly in an orange and red towel later.

Baked x

Inspections

Mum says that she had an inspection at work today.  We thought that this was something to do with flies and bugs but then remembered that these are insects.  When she explained what an inspection actually is, we decided that we would be good at doing them.  We can be most rigorous in checking that every worm has gone from the handful that is flung out to us in the mornings, and that all the cabbids is eaten.  We are also very good at asking questions like 'How can we move up to the next level (on the chicken climbing frame)?' and 'What percentage of these grapes are good or outstanding?' (in most cases, all of them).  So next time an inspection needs doing, we would like to be involved please.

Fried, Baked, Egg and Spoon xxxx

An update from Baked

Yes I am completely better now.  I am eating normal food and treats and drinking properly.  I am pecking the others and pushing them out of the way for treats.  I am stubborn and will not go down without a fight.

Baked x

Chickens and Judaism

I went on a visit to a synagogue today.  I thought that it would be impossible to make a link with that and chickens, but this is not the case.  Mr Webber, the lovely man that organised the visit with his equally lovely wife, brought up the subject of chickens.  All the scrolls used in the synagogue are hand scribed in Hebrew and are often scribed using a quill.  Apparently chickens' feathers are too soft for this purpose; they tend to use goose feathers instead.  So there you go; the link between chickens and Judaism.

Baked's comments on the one that got fired

Another polite one; well done for being brought up correctly.

However, you were all mouth and no trousers, if you will excuse the expression.  It doesn't matter how many degrees you have got; this doesn't make you the best qualified for The Apprentice.  Going back to that expression.  Perhaps someone could explain it to me.  We don't wear trousers - is that a bad thing?

Also, without sounding too judgemental (and not really knowing much about it because we don't use it) you wear TOO MUCH MAKEUP.  You don't need it, natural is good (like using mud to clean ...).

But I do like your new hairstyle.

Baked 's comments on The Apprentice

Now that I am better, I am able to make some comments on The Apprentice.  Today's task is all about clearing rubbish.  Well, they could really do with clearing out the rubbish candidates to start with.  Like the one that doesn't really understand how this business works.  You are not buying the stuff from people, they are paying you to take it away ... well maybe you are but I don't think you really understood ... I think that even with our bird brains we could do better.

I can't believe that it is the first time that someone has got dirty and liked the feel of the dust on their skin.  It's what we do every day when we have a dust bath.  And now they are going to clean it all off.  That IS how you get clean ... when you are a chicken anyway.

Goodness me folks, please decide who did what.  Don't take the credit for the good stuff and then say it wasn't you if it all goes pear shaped.

Talking of fruit, Mum gave us a strawberry today and we liked it.  We know that she bought them at the weekend and did not eat all of them, so we are hoping that there will be more of them tomorrow.

Playhouse

We are thinking about getting a playhouse.  For the chickens.  Not to play in you understand, but somewhere that they can shelter from the rain and have their feeding stations.

It is very possible that I have finally gone mad.

But it would be fun ...

An update on Baked

Dear Baked

Your last post is not entirely true, is it?  When I came out with the red and orange towel this evening, you deliberately ran away so that it was difficult for me to catch you.  You also kept your beak shut very tightly when I tried to give you your medicine.  You succumbed eventually ... I don't know why you are so worried;  I'm qualified in First Aid again now so I know what to do with the syringe.

But it is true that you are getting better.  You are pecking at the others a lot now.  But I would like you to drink some more water please.

Mum x

P.S. I have just seen you eating cabbids.  Good girl!  I will put out some fresh cabbids for you all tomorrow as well.

An update from Baked

I know the drills now.  When Mum comes after me with a red and orange towel it means that she is going to wrap me in it and give me my medysin.  I am getting used to it, so I don't bother struggling and even open my mouth ready for the syringe.

I am definitely feeling better.  I have been eating food nicely and I have pecked Spoon and Egg a lot.

Baked x

ABCDE

This is not a strange reference to our ability to be able to write the first five letters of the alphabet.  This is the new format for First Aid procedures, which Mum tells us that she is now qualified in again.  Apparently this means Assess, Breathing, Circulation, Deformities, Environment, or something like that.  We don't have a clue what all that means, but it sounds impressive.  Apparently this works with people.

It would probably work with chickens too, but Mum and Dad tend to use this book instead.

Fried, Baked, Egg and Spoon xxxx

Rain

At the risk of repeating ourselves, we don't like rain.  While we are waterproof, we do not like getting our feathers wet.  For most of today we have been under the bbq since it has been raining pretty much all the time, and we haven't been able to get to the garage to shelter.

Perhaps we should take up dancing in the rain?  We think that we might be almost as good as George Sampson.  We reckon that we could bust a few moves like he does.

Perhaps if we start dancing, we might get more treats because Mum and Dad don't seem to like the rain either and don't come out so much when it is wet.

Fried, Baked, Egg and Spoon xxxx

An update from Baked

I am starting to feel better which might be something to do with the stuff that Mum and Dad force down my throat every evening.  They wrap me in a towel and then squirt some stuff into my mouth.  They tell me it's good for me, but it is a bit embarrassing to be stood there in an orange and red towel between Dad's legs.  Still, I suppose it does mean that I can peck the others again now, because I can waddle after them.  None of us are doing much today because it is raining and we are staying under cover.  The bbq is a really good place to go; you can get all four of us underneath it, and it's right next to the kitchen door so we are ready for treats when they are forthcoming.

Baked x

SP2

Doesn't Dad look sexy on our bike?!

Fried, Baked, Egg and Spoon xxxx

P.S. We decided not to go out with Dad this time, there were fresh worms on offer so we stayed in and ate those instead.

Grandmummy and Granddaddy ...

... are coming to visit today.  We hope that they will bring us lots of treats.  It is the first time that they will be seeing Egg and Spoon, so we expect to be given lots of attention.  Daddy has cleaned the decking and patio especially so that we can do some fresh poos when they arrive.

Fried, Baked, Egg and Spoon xxxx

An update on Baked

The OH says that Baked was at 2/10 yesterday and would put her at 4/10 today, which is a nice improvement!  She is moving about a bit more, and has started pecking at the others again, so we know that she is starting to get back to normal.  She has even started pecking at the cabbids.

An update on Baked

Similar to yesterday.  She has eaten more worms today - we went and got some especially from the pet shop.  I'd really like her to spring back to her normal self, but I guess that's not how life goes.  The OH and I have had 'the discussion' about what happens if she doesn't pick up ... lots of positive vibes needed to help her get back to normal please!

Tony Horton says ...

Mushroom Stroganoff

Proof that chickens like mushroom stroganoff.  It tasted considerably better than it looked (as explained previously, it does look a bit like slugs in sauce).  If you are wondering why the girls are a little bit wet, that's because it was the lovely Bank Holiday weather and it was tipping it down.  But it was worth venturing out to test out the 'Slug Surprise'.

An update on Baked

Baked is still not great today but has eaten some grapes this morning that Dad gave her.  On a positive note (?!) her being ill means that the others can get closer to her without being pecked as can be seen by the shot of the four of them below.

You'll have to excuse all the dirt at the bottom of the picture.  That'll be where they have been scrabbling around in the dustbath (that's where Baked is settled into in the picture) and spattered it out onto the patio.  It would have been clean about five minutes before then.

But as we all know, the garden does belong to the chickens and that includes the patio.

Fried's comments on the one that was fired

Or two ... that was a bit of a shock!

From person number one AND person number two - how on earth is 'OK' an acceptable way to leave The Apprentice?

A message has certainly been sent to the others in the house.

DON'T wear brown shoes with a grey suit.  Or in the case of person number one, don't wear a shapeless grey dress.  There must be something about grey (no offence, Spoon).

Fried's comments on The Apprentice

It has been interesting watching tonight.  There was no consideration AT ALL about the possibility of creating a new food for chickens.  Considering that there are more chickens around than both cats, dogs and humans, I think that a trick has been missed here.

On a fashion note, someone needs to tell Vincent that you really shouldn't wear brown shoes with a grey suit.  And then wear a blue and white striped shirt with it.  He might be able to talk the talk, but he can't wear the wear, can he?

On the dog advert, I would like to point out that I could jump higher than that dog.  He clearly hasn't had to jump for leaves very often like I have.

There are too many doobel intenders in the cat advert for me to understand.  And too much poetry going on.

Someone also needs to tell the funny lady that looks like she is sucking a lemon that she needs to change her face.  But then her team has just lost, so I suppose she would look like that.  I just don't understand why her face has to be like that all the time.

Oh Leon!

We would like to point out that this does not look anything like us.

Perhaps you need to get glasses, Leon?

Fried, Baked, Egg and Spoon xxxx

An update from Baked

I have been put in a box today and taken a trip to the vets because I was not very well.  Mum and Dad were worried about me.

It turns out that I am really not very well at all.  I have some fluid around my abdomen which could be lots of things all of which sound horrible.  The vet said something like 'the prognosis isn't very good' but I don't know what that means.  Apparently Mum and Dad have to give me some auntie bioticks and some auntie inflamatories for ten days to see if I get better.  The vet did say that it could come back.  Mum and Dad looked sad.

They have given me one lot of my medysin and I have perked up a bit but still would like to go to bed early, so I just might.

I am sure that Mum will keep you posted on how I do.  I am very strong and very stubborn so I don't think you are going to get rid of me just yet.  Besides, The Apprentice is only half way through so I need to watch to the end to be able to make comments on what is happening.

Baked x

Baked is not well ...

... so we are taking her to the vets in about half an hour.  It's the same symptoms as before ... let's hope the vet will be able to treat her again ...