A Flyte so Fancy Week

The beautiful weather that has finally arrived here at FSF HQ (the rural Blackmore Vale, Rustic Dorset) this week saw me taking myself away from my desk in the office and becoming a general nuisance to all and sundry everywhere else at Flyte so Fancy.

My first trip was to the despatch department to see off the first triumvirate of Hobby Hen Houses going to their celebrities for the RHS Hampton Court and Tatton Park shows. With the sun beating down on this line of lavishly finished hen houses the quality of everything, the timber, the designs and the steady hand of a Dorset Craftsman really shines through. These three (see picture) were destined for the decorous touch of Phillipa Forrester, Kate Humble and Sophie Conran. Once these chicken coops have been given an artistic flourish they will be off to Hampton Court ready for the start of the show on the 9th July. Once there you'll be able to locate them in the Escape Zone, a new area dedicated to birds, bees, butterflies, stylish homes and gorgeous gardens; where these celebrity designed and decorated hen houses will fit right in, making a colourful splash of every bodies favourite feathered friends.

The second delivery of hen houses went out the next day and should be getting their first coat of paint from Deborah Meadon, Nikki Tibbles and David Domoney this weekend, if the sunshine stays around for a little bit longer that is. With the Long Legged Hobby Hen Houses gone to their six celebrities; here at Flyte so Fancy HQ we can barely contain our excitement until we can see them in July.

Hearing that there was the chance of a biscuit going spare in the despatch department (an event that occurs as rarely as a blue moon), I quickly left the Hobby Hen Houses in search of a snack. What I was confronted with instead, was a hive of activity of despatch workers buzzing as busy as bees to get all the  latest deliveries of poultry products away on the shelves. From Chick Troughs to Plastic Jam Jar Feeders we had it all. In danger of being put away on a shelf myself if I stood still next to the Natures Grub delivery for much longer, I headed for the only empty spot I could see. Nonchalantly leaning against the shelf, it didn't take long for one of the team to move me so they could put our latest delivery of the Chicken Guard Automatic Doors away. These have been proving so popular with everyone, with the inbuilt timer and the override buttons giving you an unprecedented ease of use and control, that as soon as we get them in they are headed straight back out to be fitted on chicken coops up and down the country.

As the rumour of a biscuit turned out to be false and not fancying the half open tub of earthworm treat for myself, I decided to deliver it to the chicken paddock for their usual afternoon refreshment. After throwing down the odd handful here and there I watched it quickly descended upon by our hungry hens. I took the opportunity to check-in on both our Silver Spangled Hamburg chicks (who have lost their cute chick feathers and are beginning to develop their gorgeous two tonal array of plumage) and when I could see past their entourage, our two goslings, currently going through their awkward teenage stages.

Being summoned back to the office via walkie-talkie, to help out as opposed to sunning myself with the chickens, ducks and geese I took a moment to check in on the nest of Tufted Duck Eggs that is carefully hidden among the reeds on the pond. Another week and we'll have some Tufted Ducklings doing lengths of the pond I reckon.

A slow walk back up to the office, via the despatch department to drop of the much depleted tub of earthworms (and to just triple check on that biscuit rumour), took me past the now fully wrapped Long Legged Hobby Hen Houses as they were being loaded onto the lorry for delivery to the celebrity designers. Dragging my feet and trying to find any reason to stay outside in this beautiful Dorset sunshine. I finally gave up and headed back to my desk, turning my attention instead to hatching a reason as to why I would need to go down to the chicken paddock tomorrow to spend some time with our resident poultry pals.