Animal farm.

Ducks

The weather has been so wet this week and I have been so involved in getting the new web site running I have not had much chance to do anything outside. One thing I did do was to put my wellies on and squelch my way into the garden. I had to try and do something about the water that was constantly streaming through the hedge and turning the back grass into a complete bog. 

The ducks are loving every minute of it but are slowly destroying the lawn as they dig for worms and bugs in the mud. The chickens are not so keen and although they paddled through the water at feeding time they prefer to avoid it.

So I grabbed a spade and dug a trench along the side of the hedge to try and divert the water to the gravel and away from the grass. This was not easy as it was difficult to lever the clumps of mud away from the sodden ground but I eventually got it done. It does seem to have made a difference as the grass is slowly beginning to drain, even though more rain keeps falling all the time.

It has created a small stream running down the gravelled area but at least this seems to be soaking away. No matter how much drains away the level of water in the back garden does not seem to be receding. I think that a new drain into the ditch at the side is needed. I am not even sure how to set about this but if I don’t do it soon I think I will lose all my winter veg.

Sheep

It was a lovely day today, we even watched a female Hen Harrier hunting in the field out front.

We also had our first experience of rolling a sheep! It had got stuck on it’s back in the field and was unable to right itself. The Postie was worried and told us about it so we took a walk up to see if we could help.

I managed to fall flat on my face in the process. I simply caught my foot in a tussock of grass and before I knew it I was stretched out with my face in the mud. I can’t remember the last time I fell over but I am sure it won’t be my last.

Good job Hubby was there to haul me to my feet. He was very good and managed to sound genuinely concerned. Not a titter crossed his lips. I was just relieved that there was no one else around to see. I am sure that the sheep will tell no one, as one of them was already in the same predicament.

and Chickens

We finally decided today to see if we could get the hens into the new hen house. Earlier in the week I had been trying to gradually tempt the hens closer and closer to the door of the new hen house, and even inside with a few handfuls of food scattered about. On day one the little chicks refused to leave the bushes. On day two I got them as far as the car. Day three they came onto the main drive. Day four onto the grass nearby the new hen house. This was going great!

Then this morning I determined that with Hubby’s help we would get them all inside. Not that easy. What else did I expect? I shouted the hens and most of them turned up – not the little chicks though. With me inside calling, and Hubby and Sadie outside herding, we shepherded most of them in, while managing to keep the ducks out.

We swiftly locked them in and closed off all the other hen houses so the remaining hens couldn't get back in. Raymond hung around for ages but try as we might we could not tempt him inside. Bridie was the same. The little chicks and their mum were firmly ensconced in the bushes and nothing was going to tempt them out. We tried again, twice, during the day and the only thing we achieved was to let one back out, for a short while.

We then decided that the only way was to let them back in the roosts and catch them at night. This also was not as easy as it sounded.

The first one was Bridie, she was relatively easy as she was in the coal bunker. All we had to do was block the door open the lid and scoop her up. Done. Into the hen house with her!

Next was one of the old girls. One of the Vorweks had managed to avoid us this morning. We looked everywhere but couldn't find her. Eventually we found her perched high on the wall in the lean too house. We tried to put a towel over her but she fought free. I then tried to catch her in Hubby’s fishing net (well it might as well get some use). She managed to evade us and got out the door through Hubby’s legs. Finally with Hubby shining a torch in her eyes, to dazzle her, I managed to catch her in the net. Done. Into the hen house with her!

Next Raymond. He was on the perch in the little hen house and after a game of Ring around the Roses we caught him. Done. Into the hen house with him!

A little Polish Hen was next. Boy could she move fast but we did it. Done. Into the hen house with her!

Finally the mother and her chicks. We decided to take the mother first which was not too difficult as she was so desperate to protect her chicks she didn't move fast at all. Done. Into the hen house with her! Now the chicks. Well, if I thought the Polish hens moved fast, it was nothing compared to the chicks. It was crazy! We dashed back and forward, throwing towels, swishing a kids fishing net about and looking like complete idiots.  One done. Two done. Three done. Into the hen house with them!!!

I am not sure now if that is all the hens or not. Tomorrow will tell. I suspect that there may be one little polish hen still at large but if so she must have been in the bushes.

I will keep them inside for the next couple of weeks, to get accustomed to their new surroundings. Barn eggs, not free range, for a while. Meanwhile I will gut out and close off all the other hen houses with the exception of the Peedie house where the ducks go at night. Hopefully this means I can now keep them locked in on a morning until they have laid and before I let them out to forage. This should increase our chances of getting the eggs and mean less hens sitting on nests in the bushes.

We live in hope.