Chief Gardhener

[VirginVegGrower]

Anyone else find if they are digging/weeding/planting in the garden that their hens join in? Madeline is practically hanging off the end of the spade. Just waiting for worms. Eloise is the best as she finds the little toads and the other hens run after her with her victim. Disgusting but entertaining too.

[chris]

Yup, I've almost decapitated 2 of my hens numerous times. I tend to lock them away when I'm digging now as they end up getting on my nerves

[VirginVegGrower]

I concur, the air was blue this morning whilst OH and I were putting some roses in.
He is not as patient as I am and I found it quite amusing.

[Glutton4...]

Yes - I made the mistake of letting them 'help' in the raised beds a couple of years ago - bladdy soil everywhere. The following day, I told them 'No' when they started yelling at me. Then one of them calmly flew over the leccy fence, and came to 'assist!' That was despite having one wing clipped!

[di]

I've so far managed to avoid chopping off a head although it was whilst digging that I broke ones toe
Mine too get shut well out of the way now when digging's to be done.

[Minamoo]

They drive me totally bonkers when I'm trying to dig. If I had a pound for every time I've nearly bludgeoned one to death with my fork I'd have enough to buy myself that lovely pair of designer sunglasses I've been eyeing up! The worst though has got to be when I was planting fruit bushes. Every time I turned my back one of them would dash in, nibble a leaf off the bush and run away. By the time I had surrounded it with netting, the gooseberry no longer had any leaves on it. Not to mention the never ending chicken evictions from holes dug for trees. I have had to net off every single one of my raised beds. Part of me can't wait for when DH finishes building chicken village so we can leave them locked up all day and have a picteresque veg garden with produce overflowing onto the paths (the chicken village will be roughly 10'x22' and have lots of climbing frames, branches etc to keep them occupied). But then again I would really miss seeing them all run to the patio door when I've been away all day. I pretend its cos they miss me. It's probably just because they know that I'll probably throw them a handful of corn!

Oh and this is going to sound like I'm abusing my chickens, but I've found that the easiest way to move them from underfoot when trying to dig is to gently put a foot under their tums from behind and sort of lift/toe punt them away. It doesnt hurt them at all because you're not actually kicking them, just lifting them, and it moves them a good few feet away once they fly off your foot without me having to bend over constantly.

*I'll get my coat now..

[Suechooks]

I had one who got her head stuck between the tines of the garden fork when I was lifting potatoes! I thought I'd harpooned her with the fork as she came up in the air as I lifted the fork out of the ground! It was a horrific few seconds then I couldn't stop laughing - still brings a smile and Pippy-long-stocking is long gone!

[VirginVegGrower]

I love seeing them dustbathing in my garden. We sit and have breakfast outside and I let them out of their big run. Garlic porridge for them, weetabix for me.

Love the name Pippi Longstocking - Suechooks. Love the story too

[grenhouse]

I have one who sits on the fork as I dig and pecks everything that gets dug up. Ever so comical to watch. Then the others click on that there are worms and I end up with 7 chucks round my fork, thats when it gets messy! lol Still, no injuries for them, only me!