Jeremy and Chris spent yesterday putting the finishing touches to the chicken and duck run in the orchard.  The outer pen is surrounded with stock wire and stakes and the inner one ( the night run) with chicken wire to keep out Mr Fox. The splendid duck house has been brought out of the barn and placed near the old bath that has been sunk into the ground.  They just need to build the chicken coop, add a couple more gates and possibly some more chicken wire close to the ground. 

30 years ago, on our two acre Devon smallholding, we were proud of our free range hens until one day in broad daylight….canny Mr Fox caught half of our flock roaming in the small field. We speedily built a chicken run and never lost another bird.
We are not taking any chances this time!