Question Author
JonnyBoy12, the people on the farm aren't selling them as a business. They're friends, and the arrangement is a quite informal 'yer catch yer own'! I only give them a token £3.00 per bird, toward feed, etc. So really it was my and my neighbour's fault for choosing birds that were too young to tell one way or the other.
craft1948, I can see why the numbers are misleading! I had one (Clementine) already, the last of an original four from a few years ago. After the neighbour's partner freaked upon seeing what we must call here on the IOM a 'longtail' near their pen, I inherited their care.
They were quite mature hens and gradually died of old age, leaving Clementine. Dhoona's the only hen of the 'new' four.
Jemisa, I love your suggestions for names, though I want to give them Manx ones. The three boys originally had Manx girls' names, but our landlord humorously renamed them Stockpot Sam, Hotpot Harry & Casserole Charlie when we learned what they were.