Everybody Jump
I’m always playing catch-up. As soon as I solve one problem find another one. Having animals is a lot like having toddlers. If you’ve ever had a toddler in your house you know what measures you’ve taken to “Child Proof” your home.
When one has chickens you automatically know that you need to screen the windows in the green house and that there is no sense in having a garden if you don’t fence it. We free range our chickens during the day. Each day when I let them out they have a pattern of places they visit. They immediately eat some greens, then they take a dirt bath, then they visit the horse stalls and so on.
The other day I was putting bird netting over the blue berry patch. Too often I’ve had the experience where I was planning to harvest the blue berries on the next day and when I came out they were all gone. I now net faithfully.
As I’m setting the net a couple chickens come into the patch to scratch around, and then I notice all of them jumping up and down picking the blue berries. They can jump nearly three feet in the air and off comes another berry with every bound. I run them all out of the patch and realize I’ll have to put a barrier around the decorative fence that isn’t chicken proof.
As I said, it’s always something. Hopefully the chicken won’t tunnel their way in somehow. I want blue berries.
posted by The Guy Who Writes This at 4:00 AM
5 Comments:
Indeed, when you have several types of animals, it can get complicated. Chickens are liable to jump up into the cow's feed trough and poop in it. Horses will chase cows. Cows will run from horses, which tempts them to chase them faster. I won't even mention the problems goats can cause.
You are just now netting your blueberries? I have to throw the netting over mine first think in the spring otherwise the chickens will eat the blooms. Rat Bastards. Do you have any idea how many time we had to replant in the garden this year because the chickens broke into the garden and dug up everything? Double Rat Bastards!
I won't even comment about the damn goat. Triple Rat Bastard!
I do have a horse that has been known to occasionally chase chickens and ducks.
Jenn
Ha, and I thought that I had problems.
Sounds like chickens are almost as difficult to corral as inmates. Hopefully, your chickens aren't sharpening their own weapons in the coop.
Donna and Jenn,I hear if your fence will hold water you might be able to keep goats in it.
Tango, you have different problems ;)
Darev, you can corral them with food.
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