Betty - the Blue Orpington

Meet Betty, the top bird amongst the Orpingtons. She only defers to one of the Marans, although not always. She's a big girl for a bird of her age, and rises from a settled position like a hovercraft, her feet apparent only after the blousy skirt of feathers have lifted.

I've taken to hand feeding some mixed corn and occasionally bread as a treat, to get them more used to contact and as a taming tactic. When I enter their run, Betty will be first at my feet and will take corn from my hand with little hesitation now. She always appears to eye me with some suspicion however and you have the impression that there's to be no funny business or there'll be trouble. She's a little scary at close quarters, but a beautiful bird.

Betty was the first to create a dust bath under the hedge which she, one of the Marans and JD (the Buff Orpington) have all had a jolly good time rolling around in. I've been surprised by how much of this they do - I had assumed that they would just squat down and use their wings to dust themselves as small birds do, not lay on their sides and roll their heads and bottoms about. They certainly seem to have an enjoyable time of it.

As I type this, the charging about has begun again. This involves one or two hens charging straight at each other and upon stopping short of collision, rearing up and puffing out their neck feathers like a cockerel. There will then either be a stand-off or one of the birds will career off in the direction of a different hen to repeat the process. It's like watching feathered billiard balls bouncing off each other.