Autumn is coming and there are some really obvious signs, not least the leaves bowling down the road and the mists nestling in the valleys in the mornings. Other signs are less easy to spot unless you’re either in the right place or are good at noticing things.

This feather is one of the first to fall from Martha, one of our hens. Over the coming weeks all three of our girls will moult their feathers and grow new ones that’ll keep them warm and dry over the winter. Their combs will go pink and floppy and they will stop laying into January. They’ll look a mess for a few weeks but they’ll bounce back as soon as the nights start drawing out again. We notice the chickens and their response to the season.

The thing that our tormentor failed to notice was that there was no point trying to knock us off our perch, we’re down already. There was no need to kick us. In fact,that was the act of a vicious bully. After all, every decent person knows that it’s wrong to kick someone while they are down, don’t they?

Heartfelt thanks to all sending messages of support over the last few days - I will thank everyone properly but bear with me while I pluck up some courage.