Chicken problems

Only went for a short walk this morning as pressed snooze on the alarm and we were therefore running late.



Jynx behaved herself and came back to me even when there was the distraction of a golden retriever and more importantly his owner making a fuss of her so I was really pleased ....... until we got back home and as usual we went into the back garden to check the chickens and change water and feed them!!!



We must have the most athletic chicken in the known world! We have a lovely little flock of 4 chickens all different breeds and they lay gorgeous eggs every day for us. The children and their friends named them - Lulu a Calder Ranger, Nunu a Black Rock, Belle a Bluebelle and Doodle a White Star.



Lulu and Nunu are the most friendly, but they all come when called especially if there is food involved. During the winter they have had the run of the garden, but since we brought Jynx home and because of the impending summer and the hope that we will be growing lots of tasty veg, we had thought it would be a good idea if they were confined. Don't get me wrong we have not put them into a small run they have the whole corner of our garden, but they obviously think this is not enough space for them, as they have, ever since the fence went in, proceeded to re-enact a live action version of 'Chicken Run' in our back garden!!



They have gone under, flown over and gone through the fence, and opening the gate brings them running at you in an attempt to push past your legs to get into the chicken paradise that is the rest of the garden.



So DH decided that they must be getting onto the hen house and using that as a springboard to get over the fence so we moved the hen house and he dutifully raised the fence - the fence is now 7 foot tall and Doodle is still getting over it! I have renamed her the 'SAS chicken' as I'm sure she could give Andy McNab a run for his money.



So when I let Jynx into the garden this morning I really didn't expect there to be chicken loose, so surely that will absolve me of all blame?



Jynx spotted her quarry from the steps and shot passed me before I realised what was happening and Doodle being of normal chicken intellect decided that playing possum was the best course of action - this was a mistake.



I ran after Jynx hoping to get to her before she got hold of Doodle, and I turned the incident into a game for Jynx and the messy end of Doodle, unfortunately I'm not that quick, but luckily Jynx didn't go for the head and grabbed Doodle by the bum feathers. She then proceeded to drag Doodle around the garden with me shouting in my sternest voice 'LEAVE'!



After what seemed like ages but which was in reality probably only about 30 seconds I got close enough to wrench the traumatized Doodle from Jynx's jaws.



Fortunately Doodle was fine not a mark on her - Jynx must be very soft mouthed pity she doesn't use such restraint when she is play biting!



I've just checked Doodle again and she has produced a lovely white egg and is tucking into the bread I put out for them so no psychological damage seems to have been done either.



So I'm thinking that an intensive course of chicken aversion therapy is in order - I'll let you know how it goes!!!



Best go now as Jynx has just chewed through my laptop lead - BLOODY DOG!!!!