Last night when I went in to do the bedtime routine, I thought it would be a good idea to take another look at Treacle and make sure everything is okay with her. I sat on my little chair for the first time in ages so that I could have her on my lap. Treacle soon jumped onto my lap and I started to inspect her. I couldn’t find the scab that I had noticed a few days ago. The bare patch seems to have feathered in now and I couldn’t find anything. I haven’t seen Bluebell peck at it either so I can only conclude that she is fully healed and feathered and it isn’t a problem, thank goodness.
At this point Dotty wanted to jump on my lap and landed on top of Treacle causing her to squawk. I lifted Dotty from Treacle and Treacle jumped down. Dotty settled on my lap and I stroked her sides. She stayed for ages and seemed to like the attention. What a changed girl Dotty is. At one time she didn’t interact with me at all, but here she was sitting being stroked and looking like she was really enjoying it. I am amazed at how much Dotty has changed as she is growing up.
This morning I uncovered the cement and it was dry. I had a sweep and clean up and took some photos.
Cobbles in cement where the jasmine used to be
This was a heap of cobbles on top of earth where the jasmine had been planted. Its now concrete with a few cobbles pushed in. It’s not an attractive photo but it’s to show that rats won’t be able to get through here. I think this will look better when it dries and lightens, it should blend in more then.
The box has gone
Instead of the wooden, earth filled box, we now have patio slabs over concrete. Nothing is going to get through here again and it has the added advantage of being much easier for me to clean. I can now sweep or sluice straight over the edge and the girls won’t scratch or walk mud onto patio.
No more wood
This is the view from the other side. The wood has gone and in it’s place is a concrete gravel board. It has been sunk into the ground, then a layer of concrete has been put in front of it, then a layer of earth over the top. The box has been filled with rubble, then a layer of weld mesh and chicken wire, then a layer of cement, topped with patio slabs. Nothing is ever getting through this again.
Concrete gravel board
Stepping block
For now I have put this block here as a step. I want to level the soil again and top with wood chip once more but can’t do anything until the weather changes. At the moment the ground is frozen and snow covered with more snow forecast. When I am able to work on this again I will decide whether to put the wooden step back or just use these blocks to step on.
Click here to see the history of my flock.