07 March, 2009

Runs in the family

A photograph from 1915, of my grandmother with her mother feeding birds. I thought they were chickens but I'm not sure they are. They seem rather small next to my very small and young grandmother. Anyone want to offer their thoughts on identification is very welcome.

We've just moved to this method of feeding having discovered that putting the food in a feeder led to mess and rodents. So now the chickens are being made to work for their dinner. The upside is that the run isn't being scratched out of existence and the r-a-t problem is lessening (too soon to say it's gone). The downside is that every time you head out of the door into the garden, you are ambushed. Mind you, as one of the funniest things you can see is a chicken running, I am rather enjoying this. And the sight of the chickens appearing over the hill, running at speed towards me does bring in mind the cavalry riding to the rescue, or perhaps the Indians on the attack - "get the wagons into a circle".

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

They're chickens, just juvenile ones. Great photo!

I agree with you about the running hens - they're about the funniest thing going.

mountainear said...

Hens I think - young ones - past the sweet chicken-y stage.

You are very lucky to have such a good photograph - can you see any family likenesses?

Eliane said...

It is a lovely picture. I have lots from my mother's side of the family. My great grandmother was a keen photographer and had her own darkroom. I don't look much like my grandmother, who I knew very well - she lived until she was 91 and we were very close. I'm more like her in personality I think!

Anonymous said...

That's a fab picture. Make sure you take plenty too, so that in the future it will be you people are looking back at, trying to identify whether or not they were chickens!

Nicki said...

Well what can I say - I saw the header and thought 'mental illness' but now I've seen the photo it's 'dress sense'!
I thought the birds might be quail since you do some from very posh stock!

Don said...

very cool to have photos this old! i love the clothing, and the little cagey-thing. IS this farm still somewhere in your family?

I love watchin my buff cochins come running for treats, they are berta and beverly (named after chubby aunts whom I never saw running!!)

Eliane said...

Nicki, Quail? Cheeky sod. Although yes, this is the posh branch of the family.

Don, we didn't have farms in our family. This particular great-grandfather was in shipping. I may however find out where the chickens were as I am currently reading (and transcribing!) my great-grandmother's diary. So far I'm up to 1912. I'm very lucky to have not just these photos but diaries, letters and so on. Makes the family's past come alive.

Vegmonkey - no concerns about not having enough photos. We take far too many probably. Though perhaps not always of the chickens.

Doug Cutting said...

Is that a cell phone I spy on your great grandmother's belt?

Eliane said...

Doug, no, I think it's an iPod...

(you have keen eyesight!)