First Sighting
It started with the installation of an automatic sprinkler system to take water from our new borehole to the garden. This required the digging of a shallow trench. Next thing we see is a magnificent multicoloured bantam rooster and a white hen from across the road enjoying the worms and grubs exposed by the furrow. Very cute. (The neighbours' kids were allergic to cats and dogs, so they got them bantams instead.)

Chicken Feed
The bantams came to prefer our garden to their own, spending their days with us and returning home at night. One day we spotted the hen on a clutch of eggs in the back garden. Even more cute. It would stay the night (while the rooster went home) and seldom moved off the eggs. So we took it food as it lay there. Our first packet of chicken food. Despite a dog eating two eggs one day six chicks hatched. Really cute. They'd walk around with Ma learning how to scratch for food. She'd protect them under her wings. We bought special chick feed.

Home to Roost
When the chicks reached the scraggy stage the hen just chased them off and took to returning across the road with the rooster again each evening. But the chicks regarded our place as home. Left to fend for themselves they scratched like crazy. Any seedlings we put in were removed the same day.

Softly, Softly
So we decided to catch them. Forget about it. Ground level belonged to them in the day and they slept in trees at night. Tried three plans. Plan A: Told our maid she could have them if she could catch them. No chance. Plan B: Daughter Hadley's farm-reared student boyfriend planned to pluck them off their perches when asleep and put them in a bag. This failed. Plan C: Offered them to our Portuguese greengrocer, thinking that fondness for the chili-laced dish of 'chicken peri-peri' meant that the Portuguese knew how to catch them. He arrived confidently with two boxes. The birds took one look at him and were off over the roof - like Boeings.

SWAT Squad
Things became ominous. The original white hen was back sitting on a clutch of eight eggs. Visions of having to become full-time bantam farmers. How to get rid of the Dreaded Six? Francis was working for a security company and spoke to someone in charge about catching the wretched things, and some trainees were sent. When we got home that evening - no chickens, only a few feathers. Very pleased with ourselves. Then learned from a little kid (who thought these uniformed men were the army) that the security people, unable to catch the birds, had taken their instructions to remove the fowl by whatever means quite literally and gone back to their vehicle and got shotguns.

And Then, and Now
Wiser now, we caught the new clutch before they got out of hand and the garden boy took them home. One we kept drowned in the swimming pool.

We now had about 2 kg of chick-feed. Why not give it to the turtle doves? One thing led to another and shortly we were buying chick feed in 10 Kg packs, which lasts about 1 week, supplemented by bread. And if you are feeding doves what about the fruit eaters - barbets, bulbuls, loeries etc? So pears and apples get bought as well. And don't forget the seed eaters. An auto feeder is bought and about 5 Kg of seed a week. The same people across the road now have two rabbits, who also come to eat. It is quite amazing how they know exactly what times to come. They fancy the bread we put out for the birds, as well as the apples and pears. Sometimes they get lucky and get given some carrots. We have two cats of our own that eat designer cat food. Half our shopping bill a goes to animals and birds.

The good thing that has come of the bird story is that I became interested in birds. Previously it was "Look, there's a bird!" Now at least I can identify most birds around, though I'm not keen on raptors. Have bought numerous reference books and discuss birds with other people with a similar interest. No I have not gone as far as joining bird-watching groups or clubs. I am not a herd animal.