April

“A possible instance of avian flu was being investigated today at a coastal farm twelve miles west of Dover ”
The newsreader’s voice was calm and professional.
He continued:
The farmer, Mr, Jonathan Archer, said he had been prepared for the possibility of infections, and had taken a number of precautions on his own initiative.
“I talked to a local supplier, and arranged to have him deliver two hundred custom-made hot water bottles of suitable size to install under the nests where my chickens roost at night,” he explained. “It means that I have to get the kids to help me fill all the bottles each evening, and help me tuck the chickens in, but they seem to enjoy it and I think the birds appreciate being made a fuss of, too.”
Together with special lightbulbs which are designed to produce heat and low-level illumination in equal measure, the interior of Mr. Archer’s barn has been transformed into a warm, cosy place. So far there hasn’t been a single sneeze or snuffle from any of the hens.