Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Now the chooks are destroying the garden

Last year it was the cats, now it's the chooks. I have planted out the veggie patch three times and on each occasion the chooks have got in and obliterated everything.

I managed to raise everything from seed this year - last year the cats kept laying in the seed trays and I couldn't figure out why nothing would come up. So, all went well on that front, but when it came time to plant out, the chooks got in and un-planted the lot. The first time it happened I almost cried. The seond time it happened I did cry. The third time I simply went nuts and had a chook been at hand I would have happily trialed my friend, Kirrily's, neck-wringing method. Keeping them out has proved almost impossible.

Bill and I clipped their wings which was quiet a task. We had to catch them and hold them still while all three children screamed,"Don't cut their wings off, please Mummy, don't do it." Anyway, even with clipped wings they can still manage enough lopsided flight to get into the veggie patch.

Bill is now erecting new posts so that we can increase the height of our chicken wire fence. Fingers crossed this will be the solution.

The veggie patch is full of weeds and it has been a bit heartbreaking to see it so over-grown, but I have refused to do anything in there until the chook issue is solved.

I have been working full-time for the past three months. So, it has been a bit difficult to achieve anything. Things are kind of back to normal, although I am still putting in full-time hours at the moment. I am working on our local daily newspaper as a journalist which brings with it very long hours.

The other thing that has happened around here is spring chickens were born a week ago. Nine gorgeous little fluff balls. The children have really enjoyed watching it all. A few eggs were abandoned by the mother hen and inside two of them were almost fully-grown chicks who were trying to peck their way out. We helped them out, but they died.

Bill is feeling a bit overwhelmed by being a full-time house-dad and the amount of work that needs doing around this place. The pressure of me being at work is taking its toll too. I think he would be happy if we sold-up and moved into suburban house with a concrete backyard.