The joy of owning chickens

Two summers ago my grass got so out of control that we had to use two strimmer's to get it to a reasonable length in order to mow.

Last year it was just mowing and then we got the chickens. I knew that they would have some impact on the garden, but not quite as much as they have.

Last year - grass and plants.

See how helpful the girls are, always ready and waiting to assist.

A herb bed too, all netted off and chicken proof, or not as the case may be.

And this year.

Shameful isn't it? Not one blade of grass and I really mean not one.

You can see some of the patio in the next picture, there's at least one inch of dried mud all over it.  

And just look at my beautiful herb bed now.

I've no plants left in the border either and I had spent so long digging and stocking it up over the last few years. My evergreen shrubs are only green from chicken jumping height upwards, everything below that has gone and be assured chickens that can actually jump pretty high.

Well its spring now and enough is enough. The chickens are getting banished to the bottom of the garden. At least that is until they all work together to escape and that is a real possibility. Just ask my next door neighbour, many a time she has entered her garden and had 6 chickens running around. And looking at these pictures I can safely say that the grass is definitely greener on the other side of the fence, ha, ha.  

So yesterday we started. Here's Roy with his little helpers, all wondering what was going on.

Sectioned off. Obviously still a mess everywhere else at the moment.

In their new area

And checking the new premises out.  Hmm not sure though.

The lady next door knocked yesterday to ask if we wanted some turfs from her garden, she thought maybe I could start a new lawn. Thats embarrassing, even the neighbours have noticed my lack of grass. We had the turfs anyway for the compost and gave one to the girls. The sheer pleasure they had with it, like pigs round a trough.

Whilst writing this Susan, the brown and very naughty chicken managed to find her way out of the pen (already!) and was very happily digging a hole. So out I went, picked her up and put her back in, she was really not happy and very vocal she was about it too. We will have to keep an eye on her in the coming days as she is a bit of a ring leader. But how can you not love them though and I would definitely not be without them.

Butter wouldn't melt.

So now the wedding is over, my next project just has to be the garden.