It’s Brian from the Orange Grove

The boy is back!
“All Growed Up”

Meet the talking bird from Turkey
The bird who lives on Uncle Spikes Farm
Press links to take you to Uncle Spikes Adventures and Catch up

Hey Aunty Gill – Happy New Year !
I’m still here . I listened to what you said, and stopped attacking the hoomans. Plus Farmer Spike’s steel boots hurt my bum once or twice, so I guessed you were right and that I should behave more proper like. He seems happy with me now, and the talk of some large pot seems to have abated…
So, I’ve been bossman here over eight months; can you believe that, really?

I know Mrs Fox keeps asking all of us one-by-one to go work at her place, but I’ve resisted coz I kinda like it here in this job. My ladies don’t bend my ear so much now either, and I’ve learned to do ‘my thing’ with more grace, so I guess I’m almost growed up now, you could say.
Oh, and here you are; this is me a couple of days ago – on top of my favourite rock

It’s mid-winter here, but no snow of course. It just means half the time we have lots of wind and rain, and the rest is quite sunny and warm, which of course helps me look all pretty like.

Seems ages ago since Farmer Spike grabbed me by the wotsits and removed me from Soup Row. I never realised I was gonna be a bossman at the time, but it’s the best.

Just look at how young and trim I was way back then!

I might be all growed up and all, but still yer Rooster Nephew of course Aunty Gill.

See ya,
Brian xx

Hiya Brian….
Can’t say I am surprised that you are OK. Always thought you might be more sensible than you look beneath all those feathers! You are looking beautiful by the way ~ in an unsoupy grand sort of way~ so I am so glad you survived Christmas!
It is good to hear you are all growed up and have finally learnt the rules about how to get on with the chickens. Your winter looks decidedly more colourful than it does here at the moment.
We have only had a little snow! So here is a belated Happy New Year to You! And keep you eye on that fox…
Love Aunty Gill xxxx

Posted on January 18, 2016 by Gill McGrath 13

Oh Brian! What did you do? ….”Got Told Off, I Did!”

The latest episode from the talking bird from Turkey ~ Brian guest writer from Uncle Spikes Adventures

just read on… here is Chapter 12 ~ [ catch up link to previous episodes ❤ ]

Hey Aunty Gill – yep, I’m still here!
BUT…
I’m “on notice”, as Farmer Spike says, and may help add to the bags of frozen soup if I don’t change my ways – oops! You see, this past month or so I’ve been having some teenage issues, and I’ve done some dumb stuff Aunty Gill .

Every day, Farmer Spike lets us out from under the steps, a.k.a. ‘home’, and throws us a hand full of barley each to peck at. To be honest, Farmer Spike is a nice guy, as even though we roam free each day, and this food is not a necessity, we’ve come to expect such offerings every morning and again at dusk.
When Farmer Spike’s mom is here, or Great Aunt Spike as we call her, she usually feeds us biscuits around 4 o’clock in the afternoon too. This is ace, and we learnt to scoff right out of her hand too  She’s an octogenarian apparently; although I have absolutely no idea what that is, coz she only has two arms n legs, not eight!

Anyway, talking of Great Aunt Spike and her arms n legs; well, that’s part of my problem. In my excitement to scoff said biccies each day, I started to follow her. Then one day I wanted the biccies before she was ready, and then sort of chased her… Now’ I’m a placid sort of chap really, but biccies are just sooooo yum, that I sort of lose myself. Then one day I went too far, and side-kicked Great Aunt Spike with my spurs (rear facing fighting talons), tearing a small gash in her leg, and receiving a few cuss words and a wave with her stick in doing so. Great Aunt Spike told me off big time, but being a bolshie teenager, I didn’t listen much.

No biccies for a few days.
A week later, and Great Aunt Spike went back home, after another seven week ‘tour of duty’ here on Spike’s Farm. Now, Farmer Spike doesn’t do ‘biccies’ for us, and so we were feeling a little put out, so guess what this little dumb-butt did; I side-swiped Farmer Spike too in my frustration about the biccies dilemma.
Oops, my bad! He is quicker than I thought for an old’un, and I received a steel-toed boot up my feathered jacksy for my sins. Ouch that hurt [grrrrr]; but Farmer Spike wasn’t done, oh no. He chased after me, shouting all sorts of stuff I wasn’t sure of (but sounded naughty I think).
Anyway Aunty Gill, I’m still here, but Farmer Spike says if I do that one more time, then I’ll be helping him make some soup. Now, I’m not quite sure what that entails, but he seemed to imply I wouldn’t like it.
Well, best off… will write towards the year end. Love n stuff Aunty Gill, from yer Rooster Nephew, Brian xx

Dear Brian
Behave yourself!
Take my advice…
Love Aunty Gill xxx

Posted on November 13, 2015November 13, 2015 by Gill McGrath 17

“Look at me!” says the talking bird from Turkey! Chapter 11

It’s Brian’s latest Guest Post from Uncle Spikes Adventures

press logo
for past episodes
or read on…..

Hey Aunty Gill – yep, I’m still here!
Sorry I didn’t get to scribble some of my bestist thoughts for my favourite aunty in September; I just got soooo carried away with life as King Rooster! But, better late than never, eh, so here’s my letter at last…
No huuuge news, with summer now gradually out the way, it’s cooling off a bit now. But at least that means we don’t all have to walk around with our wings sort of half up all day long; just trying to get some air to our overheated parts.
Oh! What do you think of my new selfie Aunty Gill? This is my special serious look 

I wanted to ask you about my new hair colour too… I got bored of my old plainness, and instead have opted for a more autumnal look, cool, eh? Farmer Spike says it’s just coz I’m fully growed-up now; that my teenage blandness has now been replaced by the full colourings of a boss-man rooster.

Anyway, what else… oh yes, rain…. And lots of it for a few days. It’s back to hot and sunny again now of course, as we probably won’t get any bum-fluff chillin’ weather until January; but then at least it’ll be spring by mid February . The thunder and lightening was a bit mad – but we stayed close to the house, and Farmer Spike fed us there too, so we didn’t get too soggy.

Plenty to eat now of course too, as the farm starts to slowly turn from brown dust, to shades of green once again (yay). We still find stuff to eat though, such as black figs. This was me and Missy eyeing up a snack! I usually keep watch down below while she gets up there and scoffs a few – as well as dropping some down for me too .

Look at how she can balance up there!! I usually fall all over the place, lol.

Ok Aunty Gill, see ya. Love from yer Rooster Nephew, Brian xx

Dear Brian
Just love your serious new look and glad to know all seems well with you ~ and that you are getting to eat the figs. We had tons of juicy brown figs this year and still picking the odd one or two. But the tree is green budding again! Crazy tree; it has to get through winter and may not realize it. They can’t last!
Nice to see Missy in your tree throwing you figs. Is that something to do with the ‘pecking order’ and your beautiful new coat and frilly bits? Beautiful tail!!!
Lots of love till next time from Aunty Gill x

Brian Guest writer and rooster who lives at Uncle Spike’s Farm please visit the lovely blog and become a Spikey!

Episode 11

Posted on October 5, 2015October 13, 2015 by Gill McGrath 14

Rooster News: Brian the… er…. boss says…..”My first review sucked!”

Follow the regular guest spot from Uncle Spike’s Farm in Turkey!
Here is the latest… (episode 10) Press logo for catch-up or just read on!

Hey Aunty Gill – yep, I’m still here!
There’s been loads of our neighbours volunteering to go work for Mrs Fox (dunno how many more workers she needs like), but anyway, she hasn’t come asking at ours for a while, so me and the gang are still as was 
Biggest news round these parts was old Mary (well, she’s old to me; at least by 9 months, I’m sure of it), decided to become a mom. She started to not come in at night, and Farmer Spike kept finding her sat in the nesting box, but never any eggs there. “Ah, this ones’ gone all broody, looks like”, he said to nobody in particular one evening.
Oh by the way, I’ve been practicing my singing like I said I would – here’s me mid ‘pre-song-flap’ 

So anyway, the next day, I saw Mary was behind bars. Well, at least that’s what I’d thought. Actually, Farmer Spike had prepared a nesting box all of her own, and added eleven eggs to it. He’d then caught up with Mary and stuck her back under the stairs, with this box, and then closed the gate to ‘encourage’ her to sit on the eggs; which she did.
Trouble was, old Mary, who isn’t that old, has never had kids, and was pretty lame at the sitting lark. She would sit for hours alright, but kept on breaking the darned eggs. However…. phooey, what a stink!! I reckoned it was my cooking, but he’s not into curry much, so I guess it was the eggs after all. After just fifteen of the required twenty days sitting, the place stunk…. And she had ALMOST NO EGGS LEFT; all had been broken, bar one, and Farmer Spike removed that (very carefully too I might add!) – he said that rotten eggs were very ‘light’, hence he ‘knew’ that last one was no good either. He carried it off slowly, and lobbed it over the fence into the deep ditch…. BANG (he was right – another phooey smell over there too).
The next day, over a bowl of water, I was telling Missy all about the goings on. She reckoned Farmer Spike wouldn’t be best pleased…

She was right. Farmer Spike was grumpy, having ‘wasted 11 eggs’ at a time when the girls maybe lay one between them each day (they like a holiday in the summer). Farmer Spike says maybe old Mary was just no good at being a mom, but then he suggested another, yet more sinister accusation…. Was the rooster (aka, ME) just firing ‘blanks’? Not sure what that means yet Aunty Gill, but he said for my first ‘review’, my future as Rooster wasn’t looking good. Oops.
Best wishes from Rooster Nephew, Brian xx

Oh dear Brian! Love the singing photo of you and what a lovely photo of your gorgeous feathery bottom! But you and Mary sound like a couple of feather brains to me!Perhaps you had both better put in some study time about making babies. Read the manual these darker nights! I hope things improve soon. It sounds serious to me….
Love Auntie Gillxxx

Posted on September 2, 2015September 2, 2015 by Gill McGrath 16

The life of Brian at Uncle Spike’s Farm….

The Talking Bird from Turkey is: ‘Gettin’ the hang of it!…..’

Brian 07 talking bird
catch up here with everything or simply read on…….

Chapter 8

Wotcha Aunty Gill – guess what? I’m still here!!

Mrs Fox hasn’t requested my services, so I’ve had a whole month in my job of Top Rooster. And I’ll tell you what, it’s a pretty Top Job too. Because of Mrs Fox and her constant demands to ‘borrow’ one of us each day, Farmer Spike put most of the younger gals (my sisters) back into the Girlie Pen, which is next door to Soup Row (where my brothers are). They are safe there he said, but I do kinda miss ‘em to err, ‘play with’. I wander past their pen every day and blow kisses

I do however, get to live and play with the remaining senior ladies… that’s Mary and Missy. They got used to me now, and stopped beatin’ up on me. That was weird; ya know, me supposed to be ‘The Boss’ and all that! But now we are sort of ‘equals’, and we all stay together as a gang during the day, and sleep under the kitchen stairs at night.

Ah yes, BIG news to report…. I don’t fall off so much now; nearly got the hang of this bit – and it’s rather fun too. I spend most of the day flappin’ my right wing to the floor, lowering my head, and doing a sort of ‘jig’… then I chase one or both my mature female companions to see if they’ll let me do my balancing bit J I used to keep falling off, which was all a bit embarrassing, but no more, haha!

I wanted a picky of me ‘in action’ – Farmer Spike said “No Brian, inappropriate; especially for your Aunty Gill!”. Oh well.

Great Aunt Spike was here for a couple of months, and she used to feed me every day. I’m not scared of hoomans anyway as Farmer Spike looked after us as baby chicks, so we know he’s a good’un, so we reckoned his mom would be too. She used to feed me biscuits every afternoon at 5 o’clock. I got used to that, so Farmer Spike carried on that too – RESULT.

Best wishes from Rooster Nephew, Brian xx
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Brian
Thank you so much for letting us know how you and your friends are getting on. It is nice to know you are getting your biscuits from kind Uncle Spike. You should try his carmelised oranges recipe sooooo delicious. By the way~ in the top picture of you~ is that a new comb one of the Girlies threw to you when you walked by? Hey ho! Things are looking good Brian.
See you again next time
and take care
from Aunty Gill xx

Posted on June 26, 2015June 26, 2015 by Gill McGrath 11

Meet Brian !

….with the latest Rooster News. Brian is the new talking bird….all the way from Uncle Spike’s farm in Turkey….
(formerly Duke’s Diaries) read on…

”The world has changed”….. First off, can I call you Aunty Gill too? As the new rooster in town, Farmer Spike said part of my job is to be a nephew to a rather nice hooman – ok, I’m cool with that, and that I should write to you once a month, definitely cool with that too !
As you know, your rooster nephew from Türkiye, the ‘recently-left-for-greener-pastures’ Duke-Cocka-Locky, was a bit of a celebrity all right, what with blogging in foreign lands, trying to take on big man Pablo every three months, as well as his antics in the woodshed!
Talking of Pablo, I know you were expecting him to pick up Duke’s pen, but he too has moved on. He didn’t follow our Duke, just decided to become an overnight statue; found still stuck on his perch the other morning – the old ticker must’ve given out from all his carrying on with his (ahem), ’duties’. This is the last photo Farmer Spike took of Pablo, just for you Aunty Gill.

So anyway, that left the senior ladies all alone… and then along came me. And this is my first ever photo – not quite got the hang of what to do yet.

There I was, living with my brothers on Soup Row. That’s what we call it where us boy chooks live. It’s a kinda big pen made of sumfink called chainlink fencing, even on the top to stop Mrs Fox trying to munch our toes. It’s not a bad life out there, with nice grub every morning and night from Farmer Spike. Oh, why “Soup Row”? Well that’s just coz we help make ‘soup’; whatever that is…
Mary, one of the grown-up chooks, or ‘outsiders’ (coz they live ‘on the outside’), told us about Duke, and then Pablo, and that that meant no man to play with. The next evening, just before dusk, Farmer Spike came down to see us a second time – we’d already had some barley an hour before, so it was a surprise seeing him again. Curious times as I recall Aunty Gill !!

Farmer Spike then opened the door to the pen and came into Soup Row. Now, we know he’s not gonna join us, not unless he’s really upset Aunty Spike, so we all wondered what was going on! We know Farmer Spike well, as he looked after us when we were baby chooks. He looked at us all one by one, and then smiled at me and said “Now then son, you are destined for glory me old musher; and boy are you gonna like this!” And with that he grabbed me and shoved me into a big sack. That was okay, sacks are safe places, and all chooks know that, so I settled down happily…

An hour or so later, Farmer Spike took the sack, with me inside, and we went for a short walk…. And you’ll never guess what happened next Aunty Gill; he opened the sack and there I was, in the main chook pen with the grown-up ladies, yes I was suddenly in with the ‘outsiders’! One of the ladies wasn’t best pleased to see me, and pecked my butt for a good twenty minutes, so then Farmer Spike put lots of feed sacks to cover the hard wire door, making it really dark,…… sleep time.
The next day I started to figure it all out. I was there with the ‘outsiders’, no rooster about, just me. Hold on, I am the rooster now, and I’ve been given the name of “Brian”. The next photo is me mid ‘crow’ – I’m not that good at it yet, so I’ll have to keep on practicing. Oh, and Aunty Gill, another thing, you’ll never guess what part of my job is – yikes!!!!

Best wishes from your newly appointed Rooster Nephew, Brian xx

Dear Brian Rooster Nephew,
Thank you for taking over Duke’s pen and for the last photo of poor Pablo.Its sad about Pablo…. but it is wonderful to meet you. Let us hope you have a long and happy stay with the hens. Enjoyed your story here so looking forward to more from you next month. ….. Mean while take care and see you soon!
Best wishes Auntie Gill X

Posted on May 27, 2015July 28, 2015 by Gill McGrath 17

Duke’s Diary : LATEST!!! “I HAVE A CUNNING PLAN AUNTY GILL” [episode 4]

[links to other episodes 1 2 3 ]
Update: Duke the talking bird from Uncle Spikes farm in Turkey wants to be the top bird but its Pablo who is the king, so Pablo gets the girls!……..
( press the camel for Uncle Spike’s blog and enjoy everything that goes on at the farm )

Chapter 4:If you haven’t seen Duke here before you can press the talking bird logo for more or simply read on…………….

Yo Aunty Gill, it’s me again, Duke-Cocka-Locky, your rooster nephew from Türkiye. Ok, so I’m still chasing after Miss Fluffy Bum, but she still seems to be the favoured gal of the Boss. As he’s older, taller, and faster than me, I’m gonna have to continue being sneaky in order to grab the occasional cuddle with said lady friend I guess. You see, this is Pablo – what do you think, he is a bit scary isn’t he?

As it’s been a bit wintery here of late, the woodshed is now half empty of logs and coal sacks, so I reckon that means there is somewhere to sneak off to and ‘play’. Pablo the boss doesn’t go in there much, so I have claimed it as my territory for now. The girlies like to go in there every day anyway – I dunno what they do though; they seem to just sit in a crate for half an hour, then come out and prance around making a heck of a racket. But Farmer Spike seems pleased with their antics, so that must be a good thing, right?

I wanted to send you a foto of Miss Fluffy Bum… err, and her ‘fluffy bum’, but she just won’t darned stay still long enough – sorry Aunty Gill… Hey, maybe I can get one of those stooped ‘selfie sticks’ and then sneak up on her – I can see a cool plan here, eh? The only one I managed was this one, when she was having a girlie chat with Imelda one day in the orchard – Miss Fluffy is the honey on the right.

I was telling another of my half-sister’s about my idea for cuddles in the woodshed just the other day. She listened quite intently, as you can see in this picture Farmer Spike took for me, so I reckon this woodshed idea is gonna help in my plan for world farm domination!

Not much else happening around here this month Aunty Gill, but as you can see, I have enough to deal with already – Byeeee….
Love, your Rooster Nephew, Duke xx

Dear Duke,Thank you for your update on Miss Fluffy Bum. She does look a bit of a busy body with plenty of things to do, perhaps she hasn’t noticed you yet! And Pablo looks quite scary! Be careful how you go with him especially if you are talking about wood shed domination ! Love Aunty Gill

see you here same time next month March 20

Posted on February 20, 2015April 18, 2015 by Gill McGrath 17

Turkey calling “It’s a bit flippin’ cold ! ……..” Episode 3

Episode 1 (November 28)

Episode 2 (December 20)

This is Episode 3 (January) Episode 4
Duke the talking Rooster has come all the way from Turkey at Uncle Spikes blog and says…….

Yo Aunty Gill it’s me again, Duke-Cocka-Locky, your nephew from Türkiye. After my last post, it was real exciting to see your bloggerising friends say nice things – that’s pretty cool for a young Number SPIKE 01 Two rooster like me. So here I am again, writing to my favourite aunty about what is happening over here on the farm; after all, it’s a brand new year, even here, but something has changed, and I don’t like it…

It is winter here now Aunty Gill, and soooo cold I reckon my feathers are gonna stick together! I know what you’ll say, “Don’t be a wimp, rooster-up and grow a pair!” Well I have, lol – it’s part of my job description actually. Hey, you’ll never guess what fun I get up to, even as Number Two. I guess it’s not always true that girlie chooks always like the top boss (blush). See me – I’m under the orange tree, creeping up on the girls…

You once told me about your winters over there, so ok, I take your point, our sudden drop to maybe five degrees Celsius (41F in old egg money) at night is not what you’d call winter, but for us here in the sunny south of Turkey, that’s pretty darned brrrrr… Even the trees agree. I know, as my favourite apricot tree has panicked too, and is losing its leaves. Does that mean my feathers will fall out if it gets much colder??? Oh Aunty Gill, I don’t like this cold..!Aunty Gill. You can’t tell, but I’m typing this three days later than the last stuff I wrote above. That’s the trouble with kompewters, you can’t see the pen has changed. Anyway, I gotta tell you some really really good news Aunty Gill – there’s a girlie here called Miss Fluffy Bum♥. She’s my sister, err, sort of I guess, but we won’t go there. Anyway, she doesn’t like the cold, and I mean she seriously does NOT like it. BUT, and here’s the good bit, she seems to welcome my help for a little ‘warming up’ a bit more often than usual, or so I have just found out .

RESULT….!! It’s official Aunty Gill. I’ve changed my mind, I flippin’ LOVE♥ the cold weather now !!!
Byeeee….

Love, your Rooster Nephew, Duke xx

You can find more about the farm where Duke lives at http://www.unclespikes.wordpress.com/

Dear Duke,

Thank you for your lovely letter……… A Miss Fluffy Bum heh! Ooo La! La ! Ask Spike for a bit of left over Cranberry sauce.I am sure he must keep some in the kitchen. Ladies prefer a chicken with a bit of Cranberry sauce! Fluffy Bum would be well impressed.Looking forward to hearing from you in February.

Love from Aunty Gill XXX …..I would never call you a wimp

Posted on January 17, 2015April 18, 2015 by Gill McGrath 9

Gill McGrath

In touch with Emma

Gill McGrath

Tag: talking bird

It’s Brian from the Orange Grove

Oh Brian! What did you do? ….”Got Told Off, I Did!”

“Look at me!” says the talking bird from Turkey! Chapter 11

Rooster News: Brian the… er…. boss says…..”My first review sucked!”

The life of Brian at Uncle Spike’s Farm….

Meet Brian !

Duke’s Diary : LATEST!!! “I HAVE A CUNNING PLAN AUNTY GILL” [episode 4]

Turkey calling “It’s a bit flippin’ cold ! ……..” Episode 3

In touch with Emma

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