The Great Chook Escape

As I entered the pen to feed the hens yesterday, one raced through the opening of the gate and despite my fairly quick reaction, it made the garden.  With two dogs and two cats eyeing it off, I quickly shut the other hens in, and raced to confine the dogs in the house.

Then to catch the hen and return it.  The yard is full of vegetables and fruit trees, roses etc so I darted all around in a futile attempt.  I reckon it is pretty hard to do solo - I need another person to help me - but that wasn't likely to happen!

I worked out that I could confine the five remaining hens in another section of the chook pen, and so leave open the gate so that our escapee could go in of her own accord. I could hear the excited dogs scratching at the back door too.  I found a long bamboo pole in the garden and weilding that like a bad banchi I set off around the garden to 'entice' one escapee hen back to the pen.  It took a while, but eventually, poking with the pole and darting around to block off any other escape route.  Then, success.  Perhaps in an effort to escape the mad woman with the bamboo pole, she darted in the open gate and I quickly moved to shut it.  I let the other hens out of their confinement.  All is well!

I needed a drink.  Too early for wine!