Cursed or blessed

Some days I’m not so sure which way that particular pendulum swings. This morning I think fits both. 😦

Today was earmarked for a day in the garden. I wasn’t out there as early as I would have liked sadly and this turned out to be a mistake. A big one. 😦

After feeding the goats and checking for eggs I headed back inside for another hour or so. Once the sun came out the kids went out into the garden and as Orik had joined his older siblings I joined them in the garden too.

What do I see though but a duck that appears to be stuck. Hmmm, not good. HANG ON!!!! 😦 Is she on the wrong side of the wire?! OH NO!!! The all are!!! That means, for those who haven’t seen our place,

😦 😦 😦 CHOOKS IN THE VEGGIE GARDEN!!! 😦 😦 😦

I think I flew down the back steps and across what counts for our lawn. I have no recollection of getting into the garden but much hand-wringing was done, much flapping (and not all by the feathered culprits either) and after some orders to the kids we chased them back into their pen. Now to survey the damage.

My wits deserted me for several minutes before I thought to collect evidence if an inquest was ever held (some detective I would make).

There is a path supposedly under the soil to the bottom of the photograph.

Leeks and sweet potatoes on the path.

I had to push this lot in by hand due to the trellis wire in the way of the rake. Everything is replanted now.

When all the damage was put as right as it could be I tried to work out what had happened. Jasper and Allegra adamantly denied opening the pen (I believe them too – they know escaped chickens is a big deal) so we figured Orik had pulled the latch but that didn’t seem to fit either as a) he wasn’t in the chook pen where he usually gravitates given the chance and b) the latch is higher than he could reach without climbing on something and there was no evidence of that having happened. THEN the horror hit me. I’d asked the kids to take some scraps to the chooks yesterday afternoon and clearly the gate had not been closed properly. My mistake for not checking it. Martin too had missed it when he’d gone out to feed the goats (there would have been no reason for him to check the chook door so no blame apportioned at all) but clearly it had been open all night. 😦 We know we have foxes in the area and indeed on our block – we’ve seen them! I am counting my lucky stars that Mr Fox didn’t decide tonight to come check out our feather bags. The open gate however did allow my foul fowl access to the patch. What I am most impressed about however is how little damage they did to plants! I guess worms are preferred over garlic chives any day by fat demolition beasts. 😉

I scraped the soil back onto the beds from whence it came and replanted the leeks and sweet potatoes that were all over the path. I also replanted the self-sown plum or apricot or whatever it is that I’m nursing over in another bed which was lying neglected on the path. Thanks chooks! 😦

Not ALL the damage is the fault of the chooks is it kids?

Jasper and Allegra also had amends to make so they helped wheel out the old tyres from around the chook pen that had been temporarily stored in there. The veggie patch is looking far more managed now with its trimmed grass and lack of tyres. 🙂

Well, all in all I am grateful for the safety of my feathered ladies but far more wary of their presence out of their pen.

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