Chicken Pen Repairs

Step One: Distract the little hens with a scoop of wild bird seed scattered through the pen.

Step two: #2 removed the gate and added new chicken wire over the chain link. The chain link keeps the dogs and foxes out, but the chicks can squeeze through. #1 cut some 1X3s to go under the gate. These will slow the chicks down when the gate is open, as well as keep the gate from freezing to the ground in the winter. Reinstall gate.

Step three: Instruct the Littles to pick up baler twine, broken dishes, feed bags, and whatever other junk has been accumulating in here.

 Step Four: Remove the weeds. This patch of weeds was only a couple of plants a few years ago, but had spread to about a 12'X8' section. They might be stinging nettle? Not poison ivy, but definitely makes you itch. The chickens won't eat them. I pulled them all out.

Step Five: Get the chainsaw. A lot of the little trees were bent and broken from the goats and cows wandering through. I cut them out and the Littles threw them over the fence.

Step Six: Patch holes. The horses rub on the fence and rip the snow fence and chicken wire off the field fence, leaving gaps for the chickens to escape.

Step Seven:  Watch as the little buggers make a mockery of your work and wander around the yard wherever they please.  Good thing the dog who kills things just for fun no longer lives here.

The Bigs both have exams today, so it's back to the garden for me.  Two more days, and they are out for summer.  Yeah!

Oscar, eating the leaves off the trees we cut out.  Because, you know, fences are just there for suggestion...