Block it off

Irene striking a pose for the camera

Irene isn't the world's deepest thinker, in fact as thoughts go hers are exceptionally shallow.   Mostly they revolve around wanting what other chickens have got - and getting it for herself.   We're mostly talking treats here.

Yesterday she was convinced that there were treats to be had in the form of wild bird food which had fallen from the feeders.   But she was also convinced that the wild birds had hidden it away, so that she shouldn't have it.

But she's a very determined gal is our Irene.   After giving it a nano-second's thought, she realised that they would have put it all under the dozen or so small blocks of wood which were lined up on the concrete ledge beneath the fence.   Obvious place really, should have thought of it myself.

The ledge is too narrow for her to climb onto (she's a big girl), so she couldn't use her powerful back-kick to move the offending blocks.   But that didn't stop her.   She'd hoik a block off with her beak, kick it out of the way and eat whatever she found underneath.   She worked her way all along the line of blocks until each and every one lay scattered all over the paved area leading to the hen run.

Job done, she wandered off to see if any of the others had something tasty for her to pinch.