We’ve got six chicks already hatched from the first batch … though the hen is still sitting on a few more eggs … we’ll see if more hatch tomorrow. Two more chickens still sitting, a fourth brooder (also from neighbors) was added today and two mother ducks are still cooking their eggs 🙂

And … just in time … we’ve got the electric netting up and running.  As I write these words, most of the chickens are spending the night in the new mobile shelter that is protected within electric netting. They are agitated with the change … but we hope will settle into it quickly. We don’t have the net tester (it was left behind at the store and is making its way to us by mail) however we know for certain that it works because: (a) there are clicking sounds where there is contact between the conducting wire and some weeds; (b) the chickens have tried to find a way out and jumped away agitated from the fence; (c) the dogs both tried to find a way in and cried out in desperation and then disappeared for quite some time … terribly offended and well … shocked (dogs and other predators feel it more then the chickens because the chickens are apparently thick skinned – especiall their feet which touch the ground and close the  electric circuit). More on chicken systems in upcoming posts 🙂 For now … this approach feels like another right piece in the overall puzzle we are trying to put together here at Bhudeva 🙂