Feathered friends working (and photos!)

 

The daughter (age almost-4) and the back door

I can go out my back door!  This has been possible since the start of December actually.  And I can take pictures too!  This has always been possible...

The laundry line had to be relocated when the old umbrella-style one broke last year.  Now my laundry sometimes blocks my view of the garden, although this time of year the view is a bit dismal.  Have a look.

The not so beautiful view

On the bright side, the micro-climate of the patio does make the laundry dry faster than when I used to hang it out in the middle of the lawn.  

The chickens tractored the veg beds for me over a week or two (chicken tractor on the right, reflecting light) except the far edge at the left, still growing a couple pak choy, fennel, and strawberry plants. 

Feathery fennel in front, pak choy fortress at back

I've sent those four hard working chickens back into the yard with the rest of the flock;  we started the tractor with the four non-laying oldies, but their work ethic was pathetic so we swapped to the younger still-laying hens who completed the job admirably.  I may let them have another pass before I start planting--it's a little cold for most seeds still, and there are still a few weeds here and there.

Three of the four oldies in their yard

The two ducks have had a good amount of free range, slurping up all the slugs and snails.  I like to have them out on patrol, but they poo so much!  So I lock them back in their large yard for a week out of every three, to give the rain/worms/etc time to clean up.  Incidentally, Boy Duck is obsessed with the new back door:  he comes charging up to it several times a day and pecks it with his muddy beak (Girl Duck has absolutely no interest in it whatsoever).  I should have chosen a brown door instead.

Thank you, Girl Duck!