Thursday 17 February 2011

Chicken Run

Posted by Rosie

 No - not the film, but the nice new extended run that Simon has sorted out for our chickens.  Ever since "The Incident of the Chickens Eating the Farmer's seeds" our chooks have been confined to one paddock - a perfectly nice paddock and amply big enough but still only one paddock.  It also has been the case that I have had to climb over the temporary fencing Simon out up back then to get to the water butt and on several occasions I have nearly ended up tripping over with a full can of water in hand.  Yesterday however, Simon put new fencing at the far end of the grassy area behind the house, took down the old temporary fencing and immediately doubled the size of the chicken run AND gave the chickens access to some lovely fresh grass.

It would however seem that chickens are creatures of habit.  Simon took down the
wire. Chickens looked up.  Simon started to drag wire away, chickens moved forwards.  Chickens then stopped at old fence line.  Chickens did not move forwards. In fact it was some 5 minutes before some-one was eventually brave to move across the line!  They then all followed and had a great afternoon rummaging for bugs and pecking at the longer grass.  

We also get the advantage of seeing the chickens once again from the kitchen window which we both agreed we have missed since their enforced confinement. The newly extended enclosure also stops just short of the wood store so hopefully should stop this happening.

2 comments :

  1. My plans this weekend are to move the hens around onto fresh ground.

    It is so lovely to be able to see them from the house isn't it ? Time wasters tho':-)

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  2. Although I appreciate my chickens being behind their electric fencing (thanks to Mr Fox's exessive visiting last year), I do miss them running up to greet me and 'helping' me with the planting when they had freedom to roam the farm.

    I know what you mean about trip hazards when carrying buckets of water!!

    Sue xx

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