Tinsel and feathers

As the days grow shorter and the nights draw in, Cara Wheeldon reflects on her first year of writing about bantams and on the cheeky flock that inspired it all. With feathers fluffed against the cold and mischief in their eyes, her hens seem almost too excited for Christmas to go to bed on time.

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As Christmas arrives and frost settles, I reflect on the season and the past year. It's been a year of change and celebration: I graduated with a master's degree and marked twelve months writing about bantams.

Both milestones shaped me, but it's our bantams at home that teach us the most.

The days are shorter and colder, yet the coop remains lively. Our bantams, round and busy, seem unfazed by the chill. Instead of sulking, they embrace the festivities, adding their own mischief to the season.

Take bedtime, for example. One might think that with the sun gone early, the flock would roost. Not so. Our hens seem to believe the darker it gets, the more fun there is. We often find them darting about well after dusk, their silhouettes bobbing like excited children waiting for Father Christmas.