Yesterday when I was out, apparently the female turkeys slipped through the badger hole in the fence and went walk about far up the lane. Gentleman farmer Ralph and bird hating neighbour Mandy managed a Sterling job in rounding them up and without my knowledge returned the escapees to the field.
The ducks also have been taking advantage of the rabbit holes in the poultry fencing adjacent to the new Churchyard and have been organising raiding parties onto the fresh green grass therein, sieving it for snails and slugs on a regular basis.
So today, acting like Kommandant von Luger from The Great Escape, I have implemented a six prong attack on the escapee poultry.
Number One: I have nailed chicken wire to the entire length of border fencing between my field and the Churchyard.
Number Two: The turkeys now have an escape proof enclosure at the very bottom of the field (unless they learn to use a spade and tunnel their way out!)
Number Three: The nesting boxes have been removed from the Church wall and now have been situated in the centre of the field
Number Four: After some detailed "field" observations, it has been noted that four hens (including the fat Buff, Kate Winslett have been using a piece of concrete next to my shed as a platform by which they can negotiate the newly reconstructed Church wall. This I have now removed
Number Five: Laboriously I have started to clip the main culprits wings, to limit their flight abilities...However I am fairly loath to do this with all of the hens. Limiting free range hens' flight abilities , I think is rather stupid, especially after the fox attack recently.
Number Six: I have started to fence in the top of the Church wall where the hens have been used to going. I will heighten the wall also when I have a little more time.
When I was working away at the fence one of the recently widowed ladies came over from her husband's graveside to see what I was doing. I explained that I was ensuring escapee hens and ducks don't bother anyone and she suddenly sounded quite aghast.
Her husband had been a farmer, she explained, the gentle movement of the hens as they picked at the grass, she had found wonderfully supportive and restful.
I will evaluate my escape measures tomorrow....
Perhaps I need a watchtower and a machine gun?
ps. Rogo is still hanging on....I have set him up on some straw in the spare henhouse
The poultry wandering the graveyard sounds delightful to me but maybe not to everybody, and I know you want to keep 'em protected from dogs, etc.
ReplyDeleteYeah, give me some Steve McQueen, he was looking especially good in the Great Escape.
Is Boris enjoying being a gigolo?
Probably do need that watchtower, because at least on will undoubtedly have talent as an escape artist, especially since they have now tasted freedom.
ReplyDeletenot shagged theresa as yet joanna!
ReplyDeleteOh dear, as I was reading your post, I was thinking you maybe needed a guard tower and rolled barb wire across the top, like in the prisons. Then you mentioned a watch tower and a machine gun. So funny! The fencing looks quite sturdy now!
ReplyDeleteGood that Rogo is hanging in there, maybe he just needs time to come around. I hope so anyway.
You definitely need a searchlight and one of those hand-cranked sirens...oh, and don't leave any motorcycles lying around.
ReplyDeleteYou named a chicken Kate Winslet?
If these steps don't keep your critters in, then I can't imagine what will......the tower and guns may just do it!
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to find a blog full of barnyard fowl. I put netting across the top of my chicken pen but it's a fairly small area with only five chickens. (Was 6 but Nora the bantam made a very definitive escape one day.)
ReplyDeleteYou did a fantastic job with the chicken wire. It looks nice and tight. Working with it I have found to be a pain the neck!
ReplyDeleteGlad Rogo is hanging in there.
Even though you don't know it, you brighten others' days. You sure did brighten the gal's day by just watching your hens.