Welcome to young Barney

Enter Barney, a fine looking Silver-laced Wyandotte cockerel, around 10 months old.

He's a Swansea boy - or Gower at least - and quite tame. he let the children of his previous owners pick him up and bring him to me to put in a box.

And by getting him from all of 60 miles away we stand a good chance of making sure he's not related to any of the Silver-laced Wyandotte hens we're planning to get locally, should we decide to breed them.

He was free to a good home and went straight in with the hens. He was a bit cautious at first, as were they, but he soon decided to show them who was boss and few pecks and chases around the hen pen put that straight. One of the Marans actually pecked back but quickly gave her ground.

He's not started mating yet - I think he may be too young still and as they're not laying there's a fair bit of naivety all round. But he's a fine looking bird and well mannered so I'm sure the hens will be charmed by him soon enough.