Gardening with hens....

I am always greeted with enthusiasm when I venture into the garden with implements..... this means the hens can dine al fresco with any luck, as poor hapless worms have their worlds turned upside down....

The only problem is that the hens also love any new green shoots...fine if they'd stick to grass, but nooo.... tasty young lettuce leaves..... pea shoots......and oooh yummy soft fruit..... so after only managing to get SIX gooseberries off TWO bushes last year, stern measures have been taken. I've got a fruit cage.....(these will be the most expensive gooseberries ever at this rate!).

As you can see the hens had to supervise it's construction.

The cockerel is quickly bored by proceedings....

Um... I don't remember a one legged hen hopping about??! (don't worry she's just resting the other one...).

Though the girls do work too - I'll throw clods of earth to one side to shake off from the weeds later, and the chooks will have a good rootle around and do some of the work for me.

And they are not averse to having a peck at my boots either. Better not wiggle my toes!!

Anyway at least the gooseberry bushes are now safely behind wire mesh - I've left the top open for insects, though I'll probably close that later to stop the sparrows eating the fruit.  But I'm fortunate to have quite a few bees in the garden, this chap was enjoying the dandelions which are flowering at the moment.

And what of Princess Button I hear you ask??  Helping?  No chance!! Snoozing in the sunshine!

Tiring work this gardening....