Yes, its very controversial, but I've gone ahead and fenced off my free range hens into an (albeit very large) chicken prison. They have their chicken house in there, plenty of space to roam - probably about the size of a large residential garden, and they get fed every day, so I don't think I've turned into an evil battery farmer just yet. The fence I had to build to keep them in is about 5-6 feet high because any lower and they will find a way to get over. Let me just give you three good reasons why I've done this.
1) The chickens used to roam freely anywhere they fancied. However they are VERY lazy, and once they discovered that there was food inside our barn-flat, and nice pretty flowers outside they didn't bother going anywhere else. They spent the whole day standing on our front step, pooing, clucking, and trying to get through the door. They systematically ate all my flowers, and one day about 4 chickens managed to get inside and into the butter dish. I spent about an hour cleaning up the mess.
2) When we lived in the tent, I was halfway through preparing dinner when I went outside for some reason. When I got back, I found Hussein standing on the chopping board pecking my salmon steaks like a thing possessed. In the process of getting him out of the tent, he managed to send food flying EVERYWHERE, and he also pooed all over my meal and our furniture. I've never forgiven him.
3) Whenever my (well behaved) dogs are eating a bone, the chickens will try and peck the bone right out of their mouths. The dogs aren't allowed to bite the chickens, and both parties are aware of this. I don't like to see my poor dogs being molested by these lesser creatures. Anyway, one day Nana is sure to reach the end of her tether and just chomp right down on a chicken - I wouldn't blame her in the slightest. However the chickens are here for me to eat and not her.

Haha, yes, its only taken me 7 months, but I have finally foiled you, chickens!
Nails and Nana can be found in the image below guarding all my new plants :)

By the way, the reason our glass door is filthy is because when the dogs see me inside they rub themselves all over it. Its because they love me so much. And I would rather watch the comedy channel and eat cake than clean it. Aren't I terrible?!
And here are the cakes in question! I went a bit overboard with the icing and melted some cadbury's crunchie bars into it, so there are little crunchie bits on top. Mmmmmmmmm..... caaaakes....

Of course what with the temperatures dropping as we head into winter, energy food like this is pretty much essential. I should probably eat one now to see me through until tea time...
1) The chickens used to roam freely anywhere they fancied. However they are VERY lazy, and once they discovered that there was food inside our barn-flat, and nice pretty flowers outside they didn't bother going anywhere else. They spent the whole day standing on our front step, pooing, clucking, and trying to get through the door. They systematically ate all my flowers, and one day about 4 chickens managed to get inside and into the butter dish. I spent about an hour cleaning up the mess.
2) When we lived in the tent, I was halfway through preparing dinner when I went outside for some reason. When I got back, I found Hussein standing on the chopping board pecking my salmon steaks like a thing possessed. In the process of getting him out of the tent, he managed to send food flying EVERYWHERE, and he also pooed all over my meal and our furniture. I've never forgiven him.
3) Whenever my (well behaved) dogs are eating a bone, the chickens will try and peck the bone right out of their mouths. The dogs aren't allowed to bite the chickens, and both parties are aware of this. I don't like to see my poor dogs being molested by these lesser creatures. Anyway, one day Nana is sure to reach the end of her tether and just chomp right down on a chicken - I wouldn't blame her in the slightest. However the chickens are here for me to eat and not her.

Haha, yes, its only taken me 7 months, but I have finally foiled you, chickens!
Nails and Nana can be found in the image below guarding all my new plants :)

By the way, the reason our glass door is filthy is because when the dogs see me inside they rub themselves all over it. Its because they love me so much. And I would rather watch the comedy channel and eat cake than clean it. Aren't I terrible?!
And here are the cakes in question! I went a bit overboard with the icing and melted some cadbury's crunchie bars into it, so there are little crunchie bits on top. Mmmmmmmmm..... caaaakes....

Of course what with the temperatures dropping as we head into winter, energy food like this is pretty much essential. I should probably eat one now to see me through until tea time...
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I'd rather eat cake and watch the comedy channel too!
(06.06.09 @ 02:24 AM)