Keeping hens and ducks chat.

The new fencing is starting on Monday....YAY!!

We are relieved as is will mean more security for Pingu and Hoppy. Security is good anyway and the fences here are in good condition already but one long section on the boundary between our neighbours is trellis fencing. They put it up before we moved in because apparently there was a long hedge there originally and the previous owners of our property wouldn't pay to have the hedge taken down and a fence put in it's place. So to get round it the neighbours offered to pay for it all but in return they could choose the type of fencing, which they did. That fence is trellis style and although in good/fair condition and 70% covered in shrubs it is still see through in places. We have always wanted to change it and have taken the opportunity to approach our neighbours as they are moving and asked if we could change it, which they agreed we could, then they changed their mind and then agreed again. When we moved in apparently it had been in place only 2 years so knew that the neighbour would never agree to us changing it after all the money they had spent on it.

Although the trellis fencing is on our boundary line we just felt it was so much more polite to approach them as they had paid for it originally but as they were moving we would have just changed I anyway but wanted so much to avoid any grief with them. Our girls safety is paramount to us and I've waited 10 years for the chance to change it. Luckily it is not the main fencing where all my girls and boys spent most of their time and where the pond plus all the fruit trees and bushes are but further away in the next section where I grow our veg and have greenhouses etc. They often spent time up there but they preferred their main area unless I was up there pottering with the veg etc which was daily.

Also new greenhouse bases are being started on Monday too. So it looks like it's all systems go here now, finally

The fox has damaged and loosened 2 large sections of the main fencing by constantly leaping over so those sections are having new posts put in. Hubby has secured them from both sides but there is only so much we can do and need the experts to do the rest. That section is being done first thankfully.

First quote we got was £6.7K and these guys are charging just under £3K. What a difference in price eh?. We have seen evidence of their work as they put up new fencing for a neighbour so we went round to have a look at it when it was finished and they had done a good tidy job for a fair price. But, they are popular so we have had a bit of a wait to have it done, plus our neighbours changed their minds and said no we couldn't do it and then yes we could again. What a journey to get this far. To be honest we can't wait for Monday to arrive in case neighbours change their mind again. Fingers crossed everybody please

Edwink

Cheery_Daff wrote: »

Excellent news edwink! :j :j :j
Not much to report here. I had sandals on for the first time yesterday, and have painted my nails, so the ladies had a field day following and pecking my toes as I went back and forth pegging the washing out :eek: Beaky especially was most intrigued with my fingernails, and takes every opportunity to peck them :eek:
Can't say I'm impressed :rotfl: :rotfl: (also can't believe I've not had painted fingernails since we got them in September :rotfl: )

Thanks Cheery yes it is excellent news about the fencing. Think I will sleep better when it is all done and we have added the extra netting above. It's so time consuming getting the netting up as not worth doing half a job so we are pulling it as tight as possible from fence post to fence post. If we do that we will be able to see clearly if anything has tried to jump through it or budge it in any way plus see clearly any rips or tears in it or any fox fur.

Ok so now to your finger & toe nails. Are they red? or any colour close to red? Because they will try to peck them if they are and it will hurt your toes if they do, not to mention your finger nails but especially your toes. They will peck anything that is red Cheery or anything close to that colour. That's why if one of them has a sore that is red or shows any blood the others will peck at it and not leave it alone and make it even worse. So the anti septic I mentioned that is purple needs to be dabbed on any sores they have so the others won't peck it. Or if they are moulting and have spent time in the sun and their skin look a little red you can dab some on that too to stop the pecking. Imagine getting a bit of sunburn and then them pecking it, OUCH!! Plus it is great at healing any sores they have. If you cut yourself whilst outside don't let the hens see it otherwise they will peck at any sore you have too. You will need to put a plaster on it until the redness has got down as I have learnt over the years. I once had a graze on my hand many years ago and learnt my lesson then. I was offering them some treats and one of them pecked the graze even though it wasn't too red and was healing nicely. But, blimey did it hurt OMG it was so painful. God only knows what it is like when they peck each other at times. Painful or what.

You will need to wear pink nail polish in future Cheery and definitely no red Sorry about that

Edwink

Cheery_Daff wrote: »

Sadly my nails are dark blue edwink - the little feathery menaces were just trying their luck in case my toes were a new type of treat :rotfl: :rotfl:

Wow that does surprise me that they are pecking at them if they are dark blue. Normally they peck at red or gold. They used to go for my wedding ring quite often.

What am I doing up at this unearthly hour again? Not sleeping too well as constantly listening out for the fox with back windows of the house open. Hubby last went up there at just after midnight. The fox can't get in to the coop as the wire is cemented in to the ground but knowing this still doesn't help me sleep at the moment. Will be much happier with new fences up and the netting all done. Probably be all done within 2 weeks if we get moving once the fencing guys have finished. At the moment I'm just getting frustrated with the blooming pest leaping over 6ft fences with shrubs and trees each side higher than the fences. He has made 2 large holes in a row of Laurel now and even that has a fence behind it.

Edwink