Chickens

Well it has come to be that our chickens are far more free range than we had anticipated when we first got them. They have a very large pen with an indoor shed to lay there eggs and hang out in. However the chickens seem to think that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. This has led to mass escapes of the chickens into our yard and into our neighbours yards (who have all been very patient). Well over the past couple of days I have been working to fill in all the holes that they have been digging. Yes chickens can dig and they seem very proficient at it. Currently I can see a spot where they have a very large hole underway, it must be a multi-chicken job. So having believed that all the holes were filled in I came home yesterday to find a load of chickens milling about in the duck pen, which is right next to the chicken pen. So i dutifully put all of the chickens back and went about my afternoon. Well come around six o'clock I head out to feed the animals only to find the chickens all crowding in to the duck pen again. Well I was not pleased and went on the search to find there entry point. The best that I can figure is that they all press against the fence until they make and gap and then they squeeze underneath. Well I piled more straw around the bottom of the fence and so far it seems to be holding. I will see later if my hard work has held the chickens in or if I will be back on the search for more holes tomorrow!