new girls

we got 8 hens yesterday from a free range egg farm who were moving their flock of 3000 on to the chicken pie factory before getting new ones, so they offered any number for sale at £1.50 each!  The hens are warrens - brown feathers with white fluff underneath - those that have feathers.  All of them are pretty thin and baldish but no doubt will pick up quickly.
This morning when I opened the coop they didn't want to come out - in a flock of 3000 I guess some of them never made it to 'outside' so it was veruy new.  By the end of the day I think 7 out of 8 had been outside at least for a while.  They're very friendly - when I sat on the grass in their run they came over to inspect and taste.
planted peas and beetroot today and nasturtiums for eating too.  Foraged for lunch salad in the hedge.