Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[stu]

I can't believe I have just done this, but I have one hen with a penchent for escaping into the hedge, and ultimately scratching around on the bit of soil that lie just the other side of the fence.

 

I removed on the of panels, sawed the bottom and put a hinge on it. Basically, she is the very devil to get out of there, and now, hopefully, all I need to is lay some treats and open the fence and back she'll pop.

Fortunately, you need opposable thumbs to open it.

[Cheeky Chooky]

Let us know if it works!

[stu]

Okay... as you might expet, none of them have been anywhere near the hedge, or behind the fence, since I put in the 'hatch'.

It's like they know, and have now moved onto other things... probably in the knowledge that I'll adapt something else to accomodate them. Right now, they are trying to infiltrate the greenhouse. God knows what they are scheming!

 

*bangs head*

The next time someone refers to me as a 'birdbrain' I will, in all honesty, be quite flattered.

[jaspersmum]

[Cheeky Chooky]

Ahh, bless you birdbrain

[stu]

*sigh*

[Chortle Chook]

The next time someone refers to me as a 'birdbrain' I will, in all honesty, be quite flattered.

Oh that is so good! Actually, having chickens and doves I have found quite how bright birds are! Role over parrots, we have chickens about

 

On the 'special gate' theme, I have made some little tunnels through my box hedging so that my hens (perhaps not quite as bright as I'd like them to be) don't do that fly up and land, squeak, eek in the very middle of the hedges when they are trying to get over them.

[amys garden]

HeHeHe! Cheered me up!

We're just about to make my girls FR smaller

At the mo they've got the whole back part of the garden

And they've wrecked

So lovely as they are to watch the kids need to access the trampoline and the poor grass needs a break

Poor girls after so much space they might sulk a bit!

[stu]

I think the holes in the box hedging are an inspired idea. Now that you mention those, there is a hole in the hedge, but the cat uses it. I think I may have to run something across the bottom of the hedge to close this, and the cat can find other routes.

 

As for reducing the FR of the chickens... I look forward to seeing just what kind of protest ensues, after you have given their trampoline away to the kids.

[stu]

Hey... It works..!! \o/

The escapee was coaxed back into the garden through the new door... this could save me hours getting scratched and crawling through the undergrowth.

[Chortle Chook]

So pleased that all your efforts were not in vain.