Gerry gets digging

The chickens have formed an escape committee. I’m convinced. They’ve been digging – quite discretely – at the back of the coop, as far away from the house as they can manage, probably in the mistaken belief that we won’t notice.

Well we did.

And they know that we did, which is why they’re changing tack. Going out to feed, water and open their pop hole this morning, I saw how much digging they’d done yesterday. They’ve moved their efforts to the front side of the run, right below their feeders, and in just one day they’ve dug a three-inch deep, foot-long trench that’s already starting to creep below the skirt that keeps out the foxes.

They clearly don’t understand that it’s there for their safety.

They are industrial little ladies: of that there’s no doubt. The only trouble is, it makes their feet very dirty, which in turn makes their eggs dirty, and you can’t sell dirty eggs.

Not that we’re selling them yet, but we have plans for a bigger flock, and when we’ve got it we probably will be selling eggs to the neighbours. Only trouble is, when eggs are laid they have a thin, dry protective coating that stops infection getting in through the shell. Dirt can damage this, which is why you can’t sell them when they’re dirty. Neither can you wash it off as the water will wash away that protective coating.

Fortunately we also have plans for a bigger run, which should keep them better entertained and stop them digging. Perhaps then every egg laid will be clean.

Related posts:

1. Could we kill the chickens?
2. Building up the chickens' calcium
3. January 2010 egg count shows how our chickens are declining