Keeping hens and ducks chat.

edwink

Making progress here on the netting now, thankfully. We have started on one side and completed the first layer and all the batons are fixed on that side. At least one layer is done now so we are going to start on the other side this afternoon and fix all the batons too. At least then both sides will each have a layer. Then over the weekend or early next week we will start the second layer.

We are taking Hoppy up there with us to give her a change of scenery as it's easy to keep a close eye on her. She sits almost in the middle of where we are working with a huge bowl of water and a bowl of mealworms and pellets but all she does is sleep, bless her. Until my hubby starts banging with the hammer that is. At least she is out and about with us so I'm sure she doesn't mind a bit of hammering.

It's not easy to do because we are working on a steep bank so taking it really slowly. The netting we are using on this section is very, very dense but when it is pulled tight and you stand right back you can't see it. I'll take a few pics once that area is finished. We might need to play spot the duck in the pic though

We would of had that area done by now if it wasn't for the rain but we were both grateful to be able to chill out indoors, rest and do something much easier. Hubby was chilling out blasting the house down with his Saxophone and I was sitting quietly sewing. I'm in the process of sewing patches on another pair of dungarees. I like to make them look totally unique, so for this pair I am cutting ditzy floral squares out of a duvet cover and sewing them on. This little job is progress too because I've waited quite some time to make a start on them. I've done about half of the patches so far and I think they are looking ok, so I'm pleased with my efforts.


Hope Beaky is ok this morning Cheery

Edwink

Karmacat

Another round of spot-the-duck :j
Congratulations on the sewing too - when my garden is eventually sorted, I want to use my stash to actually make things, rather than just admire it :rotfl:

edwink

Karmacat wrote: »

Another round of spot-the-duck :j
Congratulations on the sewing too - when my garden is eventually sorted, I want to use my stash to actually make things, rather than just admire it :rotfl:

Yes KC another round of spot the duck:) If I had taken pics today you definitely would not have spotted her. She waddled under a chair that had a load of logs stacked by it so all I could see was the very last inch of her tail. With all the leaves up there she just nestled in to them and went to sleep. So much so for a change of scenery for her today. When we finally finished and were tidying up we put her in the pond so she would spend time preening herself afterwards on the lawn for a while before she went to bed. Poor little thing was so tired she went to bed really early tonight.

I have a stash too KC because I am useless at throwing anything away. I keep it all stacked in a couple of baskets so it looks nice but the pile just gets higher and higher as I don't often get time to use them. If I cut anything of the bottom of something like a pair of jeans I keep the cut off to make in to a patch or a pocket and if there is any left over I make a hairband or a scrunchie (sp?) to put my hair up. Anyone know how to spell scrunchie?.

Managed to get the netting done today as planned and best of all we managed to get both layers done. So that is now completely finished on that side and it just leaves us to put the 2nd layer on the side we did yesterday. But, it wont be easy because there are trees there not to mention several rather prickly holly bushes that need cutting back. I had to brush right past one yesterday and it was like being bitten by 100 ants:eek:. The other side has steps so a much better surface to stand on except for the extremely old Anderson Shelter that's up there. Not sure we really trusted that roof with both of us standing on it so we worked at different ends of it in case in collapsed under our weight. Will be finished tomorrow at long last :cool:

How is Beaky Cheery? Hopefully ok today and eating all her dinner Still check her crop for a few more days won't you?. Just to make sure it is completely empty in the morning and full up at night. Then you will know for sure that it is all back to how it should be,

Edwink x

edwink

Phew the netting is FINISHED. Hoorah!! What a tiresome and tedious job that was. We are just so pleased it has finally been completed as we are both worn out now. Neither of us were looking forward to doing it and I suppose in a way it didn't need to be done but with all the other fencing and hedges raised in height it just seemed like a sensible thing to do. We now have 2 layers of netting both sides, one behind the batons of wood we have fixed up and one in front, so in theory the netting can not be pushed in from either side. We have cut and fixed quite a few batons too so the netting is supported properly. Phew what a job that was.

I know that a fox could get in I suppose if he really, really tried but all we can do is our best to make sure to do everything we can to keep him/her out. Backing on woodland there will always be foxes up there and we can't change that but lets hope our efforts with the added security will do the trick. Fingers crossed.

That's it now security wise, everything we can do has now been done. Going to have a bit of time off from outdoor work so just sew and potter about outside not to mention chill out as well before we start on the raised veg beds soon. Will put some pics on here soon


How is Beaky getting on Cheery?. Hope she is so much better and back to her old self again, bless her

Edwink

Cheery_Daff

Excellent news that you've finished your netting edwink, well done! :j

Beaky is back to her usual pesky self I am delighted to report :j tripping us up and pushing the other chickens out of the way when she thinks there's a treat in the offing (not that there have been many treats these last couple of days!) Very pleased, and thank you for all your advice and support :j :j

edwink

Cheery_Daff wrote: »

Excellent news that you've finished your netting edwink, well done! :j

Beaky is back to her usual pesky self I am delighted to report :j tripping us up and pushing the other chickens out of the way when she thinks there's a treat in the offing (not that there have been many treats these last couple of days!) Very pleased, and thank you for all your advice and support :j :j

You are so welcome Cheery. I am always here to help you anytime you need it. I am so pleased for you and of course little Beaky. Just have a little check next week when she comes running out in the morning to make sure her crop is empty as it should be.


I'm so chuffed she is better now.


Edwink x

Cheery_Daff

We're chuffed too :j :j Lovely to see her back to her old pesky self :rotfl: :rotfl:

Karmacat

Beaky rules! :j:j:j Really good news.

edwink

Our little Hoppy is still doing ok. She loves nothing better than a bowl full to the top with clean water these days. We started doing this as she has never been that keen on going in the pond, she will go in there but never spends long and never has done. But, this clean bowl of water malarkey she is most happy about. Stands next to it for ages dunking her head in and out of it and splashing her bib and then spends the best part of an hour washing her face by rubbing it up and down her bib. I must get a picture of her with this bowl.

We are spoiling her a bit with Meal Worms every day and she loves them plus she has lettuce or cucumber around lunchtime. For a small duck of her breed she certainly has a healthy appetite, which is good.

How is little Beaky Cheery? Back to her normal pesky self still I hope. Have you checked her crop again when she has come out in the morning? Just keep an eye on it for a little while, maybe just check once a week to make sure it is definitely empty. Bless her she has done really well

Edwink

Cheery_Daff

Aw, have a lovely image of Hoppy splashing round in a nice bowl of clean water:j You wouldn't think ducks would mind a bit of pond water but maybe some just have more refined tastes!

All chickens good here :j Beaky is definitely back to pesky self, crop seems fine and she had a telling off today as she just wandered over to poor old Bessie and gave her a good peck for no reason :eek: naughty chicken.

I didn't see this, but Mr Cheery spotted one of them running off carrying a dead shrew by the tail in her beak earlier :eek: she dropped it and was giving it a cursory peck, like she knew she was meant to be interested but wasn't actually that sure :rotfl: Mr Cheery caught her (didn't click which chicken it was) - no way she'd killed it, it was long dead so she'd obviously just found it somewhere and got all over excited :rotfl: disgusting creatures! :rotfl: Needless to say Mr Cheery was not about to encourage gruesome experimentation so the shrew was given a civilised burial in the dustbin :eek: