I think that ex-batt's mothering chicks is uncommon but not impossible although I agree that they aren't ideal candidates for broody work - I remember seeing an article in the BHWT newsletter about one hen who had produced a very happy little clutch of babies.

Of course the egg's will be fertile and they may intend to stick them in an incubator or under a more reliable broody - like a bantam for instance.

I'm so sorry that you've had so many problems with that awful breeder - I feel guilty that you went there because I was the one who found her in the first place :( - It's certainly been a steep learning curve for both of us this past year - Who would have thought owning a few chickens would be such flaming hard work!

Still wouldn't swop them for the world - I think I'll always want to have a few chooks scratching about in my garden - Looking forward to the lighter mornings and nights so that I can actually have a relationship with them though - rather than hearing it all second hand from the hubby and kids as I'm at work all day - leaving and returning in the dark!

The River Song story can be always explained away by having her meet him in his 10th Doctor guise and then again in the 11th - Would help explain how she pinned down the events in her diary - she knew he was pre-regeneration etc

After getting over the initial "Who? -What the...." reaction and doing a little research on him - I'm interested to see what he will do with the role - I did see the Ruby in the Smoke stories and enjoyed them - Although I would have never have thought of him in the role but then I'm not a casting director and its not my job to know who are the up and coming actors

I think its a good idea to cast a relative unknown - No preconceptions, no punchlines and obviously a massive boost to his career - If they go with the dark, gothy look - thats not only a look I have a "bit of thing" anyway - so will approve wholeheartedly but is a savvy reflection of the times and also will complement Stephen Moffat's perchance for the darker scripts

He is after all Stephen Moffat's choice - a fantastic writer and is not Russell T Davies - thank goodness - We have to credit him with resurrecting the brand - For that he's a genius but his scripts tend to be a bit messy and inevitably end up with a unsatisfactory ending - I don't know whether that is because that's the way he writes or whether he gets carried away and then thinks "Bugger - need to bring this to a conclusion - I know the Doctor can do this, this and that and Wazzam - all sorted!" plus its all sometimes just a little too jolly and slightly silly - That's how I felt about the Christmas episode even though I enjoyed it.

Matt Smith does have a certain otherworldly something about him - Yes he's very young but if you were a 903 year old semi-immortal being - wouldn't you want to look younger as the years pass you by - I would - been there, done that whole Grandad thing thank you very much! - End of the day - the jury's out until atleast half way through the next series and he's settled into the role - He's never going to make everyone happy - Lots of people still have hadn't got over Tom Baker leaving!

I'd be very careful with BT - they will charge you a fee for coming out of your contract early - that is what they did with us and I've had to ring and argue that as I was not told at the time of leaving BT that they would impose this fee - I was not prepared to pay it - It is supposed to be reversed on our next bill as we have maintained the line rental with them but until I see it happen I'm not holding my breath

As for supplying the MAC code - actually they were very helpful when I needed ours