Tuesday, November 1, 2011

The hens get hemmed in

Now. I'm not sure if you know this about hens. But they can be wicked. And eat all of your carefully tended seedlings, sproutings and vegies.  And lay eggs in your shoes that you squish as you carelessly step out in the dark.


So. The hens are getting hemmed in - for now, by flimsy chicken wire and stakes, in the near future by a sturdier fence or something else. Depending on how the budget goes. I know you laugh and say ha! give them 5 seconds and they'll be over that chicken wire in a flash!  but if that happens I will add another layer of curly chicken wire and may even seriously consider clipping a wing.  I don't think they will flap out and over, they have plenty to occupy themselves with in there (ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo famous last words...).  Anyway for now this makes me feel like we've taken some control!

Thank goodness for the Melbourne Cup holiday. Isn't it wonderful, a public holiday so we can go bet on a horse race  :)   For me it's been a wonderful chance to get into the garden, mulch and hem those darn hens in!!  Well, stand and instruct Mr Bok anyway.


I'm sure the humans are meant to be on the outside 
and the hens are meant to be on the inside?


Tim Tam really wants out to join in the fun...

I've planted pumpkin at the back of their yard near the cape gooseberry
(do you like the stake?) not sure if it'll grow much as it doesn't get much sunlight 
but hey it'll be fun for them to scratch around in.

No point to this pic above really other than wanting to show off my garden stakes! 
Aren't they gorgeous??

So here they are.  Happily ensconced in their bit of the garden.  So far so good...a whole afternoon and escape yet!


p.s. I'm looking forward to meeting some of you folk on Sunday! I'll be on that 11am free Diggers garden tour thingy looking surreptitiously for yellow flowers or yellow birds...click here for details

20 comments:

  1. Your whole garden is gorgeous :)

    I love the Mr Bok instructing and clearly he did a great job - the new pen looks gorgeous. Hopefully they'll like it so much they want to stay in it!

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  2. Looks great! Did you really step on an egg in your shoe?? Ouch and ewww.
    We have about 1500 chookies at ours but I have to say that is one thing that has never happened to me. Thank goodness.

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  3. Your garden looks wonderful! I've been researching different types of fencing for next spring. I hate to put a 6-foot fence around my garden, but that might be what it takes!-ha :)

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  4. Hens are adventurers and will try to get out, up or over any wire!I have just done a post about the hens and the state of my garden since they took it over.

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  5. See you Sunday Mrs Bok. My hens have been fenced in with flimsy chicken wire and stakes. And it has mostly worked. Mind you, mine are silkies and can't fly.

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  6. Good work on the pen I hope it works. Instructing how do build the fence is an important job, someone needs to be able to stand back for a better perspective.

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  7. Good work! That should keep them in...hopefully.

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  8. We have not yet been brave enough to let our hens free roam. We have hawks that cruse the area looking for hearty meals. They can have all of the doves they want, for we have an healthy population of doves. (Hubby also saw a fox in the pasture the other morning, so he is still around). Hope your fence keeps your garden (and shoes) safe.

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  9. Your garden is so neat and tidy! How do you do it Mrs Bok?

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  10. We are currently planning our chicken run area... it's hard to know how best to go about it, permanent & secure (for animals getting in, or chooks getting out!) but able to be dismantled if need be... no wood touching the ground, but metal is expensive and harder to work with... not too big as we want to deep mulch in Winter, but not too small as we want to be able to manouvre the chicken house in & out and reposition it inside! *sigh* We've considered hiring someone to come plan & build it for us!!

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  11. Your chicken run seems to be growing daily, just like yourblovely garden.

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  12. What a gorgeous backyard! Love the country feel to it! Have a lovely day, Kellie xx

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  13. It's funny - our chooks like their dome so much, that when they do occasionally get out (and it's always Maggie), they spend all their time on the outside of the dome, asking to go back in.. :)

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  14. We have been thinking about hemming our hens in, but we don't have a Mr Hensington here to instruct. Hmmmm might have to hire one I think. LOL

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  15. what a lovely garden you have inspite of those wicked hens.

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  16. *sigh* to have a garden like this...or just to not have a black thumb! :P Naughty hens! And Tim Tam is so adorable :)

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  17. Where were you? No one was on the tour...

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  18. I think I would happily live in that litte hen paradise. Your whole backyard is really cool. We have just moved into a brand new house and the yard is looking very boring and sterile. I love those wooden veggie beds, where is the wood recycled from?? It looks fab.

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  19. You have such a whimsical garden and those hens look really happy even if they'd have you believe otherwise :)

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  20. At my house wild rabbits nested under the house and the come to the door from time to time and scratch to get in.

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