Chickens, chickens, chickens. Not where they are suppose to be. Hens in the yard, roosters in the barn.
Out enjoying a stroll. Looking for bugs, seeds, weeds.
This might be the reason. Ya think? The past winter took its toll on the wire fences. The chicken wire just isn't strong enough to hold up to the sheep on the pasture side and the goats on their side. They definitely go along with the grass is always greener and we have to lean over and eat the grass on the other side motto.
The barn is still in need of repair. That will have to wait until the tractor is paid off. First things first.
We pulled up all the old wire and fences. Ted brought the John Deere out to push the post down again. We have heaves with the winter freezes and the posts get all wonky.
Much better now. The birds are where they belong. We put up 2x4inch welded wire fence this time. I guess it has been about 4 years now that I think about it, since we first put up the chicken wire. It was time for an update.
They are once again free range. Pasture ranging birds.
The inside is all clean with fresh shavings. We put diatomaceous earth down first to kill mites and any bugs. Pine shavings make the whole barn smell wonderful. Ted removed the wall between the new birds and our older flock. These turkeys were hatched from the eggs this past spring.
There is a lot of pushing and shoving until the pecking order is achieved. Old birds soon get comfortably with the new kids on the block.
Old limbs, boards and feed bags end up here. Busy day and we got so much done.
Productive day and supper on the table. Satisfaction with our accomplishments.
Much Love and Prayers from Mainely Ewes Farm. No more chickens in the yard.
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5 comments:
you guys sure work hard but it is all so wonderful!
you guys sure work hard but it is all so wonderful!
I love days like this... good work!
Are you trying to blame the goats for that fence being down when we all KNOW that those fat birds probably sat on top of it? The Goatmother wants to know if Ted actually pounded the posts in with the John Deere? That would be a novel idea and perfect for here where there are so many rocks you can't even get a T-post in the ground! Much easier on the body too.
I don't mind "yard birds" so much... not much of a real yard anyway here, except for the "dog yard" which they have enough sense to stay out of. What I mind are PORCH birds. Not the wild ones, they seem to poo elsewhere... but the chickens when they are ranging eventually come up on the porch to try to clean up what the wild birds drop in seed and, as you doubtless know, chickens poo EVERYWHERE. We will likely be facing that again in a bit. With the tomatoes out of the garden I'll be moving the hens pen up closer and letting them out in the afternoon, for them to clean up the garden leavings. I'd like to let them range, when they will, all winter, if we can find a simple way to keep them off the steps and porch.
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