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“If people let government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as are the souls of those who live under tyranny.” Thomas Jefferson

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Chickens are Driving me Nuts!

Yes that is exactly what I said, they are driving me nuts. It wasn't so bad when we had a dozen chickens or so, but the chickens have taken over and I am tired of it. About a year ago our rooster and a few hens decided that they did not want to go into the coop at night...they preferred the goat barn. Ok, that wasn't so terribly bad. They roosted on the gate and their droppings were easily swept up with the other droppings each morning. They were safe so I simply didn't worry too much after several times trying to convince them to go back to the coop. Then I got more hens and now have over 30 chickens. The new hens and some of the old ones have also decided that the chicken coop is no good at night. Only 5 of my chickens go back to the coop at night now, the rest are in the goat barn. This is a problem! They are roosting everywhere and leaving their droppings everywhere and on everything. My poor goats have even woken up with chicken poo on their backs. It is simply too much. Add into the fact that the 30 something flock of chickens has decided that prime free ranging territory is my house. My front porch, my side porch, my driveway, in between the house and garden gate....anywhere and everywhere close to us and where we are. I have even had chickens looking in the sliding glass door. They have 10 acres to roam and eat bugs, yet they choose to spend their days on my porches leaving chicken poo everywhere. I am sick and tired of it. Having lived with livestock all my life I understand that there is a level of "germs" that goes along with the territory, but I DO NOT have to live with chicken poo absolutely everywhere. I DO NOT have to live with chickens walking and pooing on my table on the porch or on the chairs that I would like to be able to use. My goats should not have to suffer the indignity of being pooed on at night! I should not have 30 odd chickens running around my feed room (small by the way) pecking my feet every time I go in there. That is it...I am done! The chickens are getting their own yard where they will be confined with the exception of a couple hours a day for bug patrol. If in those couple of hours in the afternoon they still continue to be a menace then they will never leave the confines of their yard again unless it is to enter my stew pot. I am beginning to understand why my dad use to say that he hated chickens. I can't imagine growing up with over 2000 of them (yes they had that many). If they can't be trusted to free range on their own then they will just have to be confined and I will bring the free range to them with all the grass trimmings and garden trimmings. Stinking chickens are making life around here miserable and boy are they in for a surprise. Just a bunch of juvenile delinquents...that is all they are. So guess what I am doing today. Yep you guessed it...building another fence. My arm is already killing me from cutting saplings yesterday for fence posts, but it absolutely must be done because I am covered up in chickens and their droppings everywhere. Hope you all have a great day! Think about me while I am in the heat building that fence. Blessings, Kat

1 comment:

Renee said...

My chickens are doing the exact same thing, hanging out with goats and now pooing everywhere. I didn't want to have to put a fence up for them but it looks like I need to :( My husband doesn't enjoy the tractor have poo on it. lol Have a blessed day!