Trouble at'mill

[Shirley]

Just heard a lot of noise outside in the poultry area... went out to investigate and found our solo cockerel in with the buff sussex trio... not just in their patch but fighting inside the henhouse... opened the back door and out shot buff and light sussex roos.... buff came of worse. Managed to separate them... buff cowering behind the door that I opened... light runs into hen house and causes chaos in there with the hens... he's drawn blood from at least one. Anyway... put him to bed... eventually... the two new hens from stoney (silver sussex - and a big thank you Stoney!) don't want to know..so they are perching on the hurdles in the goatshed tonight. Quite happy there... and were happy to have a tickle from me before bedtime.

Really not sure about this solo roo... if he can't be trusted with the other birds I reckon it's time for the pot... but thought I'd ask here as to whether anyone has any suggestions?

[hedgewizard]

Personally I can't see why anyone bothers with roos at all unless they want chicks. They're far too noisy and far too tasty to live.

[Shirley]

We've got lots of chicks :)

roos provide more chicks... and more meat... this one escaped the pot first time around because at the time we thought he was too old.... thanks to forums like this one, we've realised that that is not the case and that we just need to adjust the cooking process!

[red]

.. but thought I'd ask here as to whether anyone has any suggestions?

I suggest. cock au vin. or maybe curry.


Red

[Camile]

Coq au vin it will be indeed !

I can post the recipe here tomorrow if you want too .. it's an old recipe that the mother in law uses .. and when we dispatched our roosters .. they tasted so great with that recipe !

[Shirley]

Thanks Red & Camile...

Would Love the recipe please Camile :)

[Wombat]

Nahhh!

Go for the curry!

Nev

[Camile]

Oops ..

seeing that thread it reminded me I gotta bring the recipe !

sorry about that Shirlz .. you should have it for monday !

[Shirley]

Cheers!! That will be great.

Nev... I love curry.... I've just had beetroot curry for my lunch.

- I had great fun making it too... as you can see.

[Boots]

Where's that turn of phrase come from Shirl... Trouble at Mill?

My mate says it with a mocked up accent sometimes... but have never thought to ask him.

[Shirley]

My gran used to say it, and she was a Lancashire lass... so I guess it's from there.... we live in an old mill hence the title....

http://www.btinternet.com/~troubleatmill/speak.htm

[Boots]

Oh, that was such good value. ROFLMAO.

Have saved that to show my mate. A couple of those reminded me of Grandad. He used to tell me I made a better door than a window when I stood in front of the telly. But there were some really funny ones there, that I will have to try out on my mate.

[Muddypause]

I can't help feeling that 'Trouble at t' mill' has some sort of literary root. A bowdlerised line from one of the Brontes, or George Eliot, or some such. Also, compare it to the words of Jerusalem by William Blake, which refers to England's mountains and hillsides, wherein are 'dark, satanic mills'.

In the industrialised north of England, a 'mill' is a term used for a large factory, often where cotton was weaved - a cotton mill. During the industrial revolution these places were the source of great wealth to a few, and great hardship to many. Lots of potential for 'trouble'.

[Shirley]

My gran worked in a cotton mill... if she was still here she would entertain you for hours with tales of life at'mill.

She wasn't very tall and so it was a real stretch to use a lot of the machinery... and given the noise it's no small wonder that she went deaf quite early in her life (70s) - still... it certainly had no detrimental affect on her longevity as she was 95 when she died earlier this year.

Love you Gran!!

You might be right with the literary link Muddy!!