Chicken Vacuums

How do you get rid of Japanese Beetles in a way that you actually kind of miss them when they are gone? You use a chicken vacuum!

What is this marvelous invention, you ask! It's a Mabel Frances Farm patented livestock sensation! No more will shiny beetles skeletonize your fruit trees! No more will they destroy the crops you lovingly planted. Every time you have a new invasion, take out your Mabel Frances Farm Chicken Vacuum and watch as they miraculously disappear.

The steps are easy.

Step One: Teach the chicks. 

First, I painstakingly gathered six Japanese Beetles over the course of ten minutes with my bare hands, (shuddering all the while). In the past, I've been averse to touching any insect. But the beetles were ruining my new peach trees and had to go. When I threw the beetles in the chicken pen, eight young chickens cocked their heads and studied the beetles as the insects righted themselves and flew out of their coop and back on the peach tree.

That's when I decided to try freezing them before feeding them to my chickens. With any luck, the gals would develop a taste for the beetles. Using a ziplock bag this time, I shook about twenty beetles into a bag and threw them into the freezer. A half-hour later, I threw the frozen beetles into the coop and allowed the chicks to slowly learn that shiny beetles equal food. 

Step Two: Bring the newly trained chicken vacuum to the beetles.

Once I felt sure my chickens understood the beetles were food, I took Imogene to my peach tree. She peeped softly, not liking being separated from the coop. She also tried to take flight, not happy with the new arrangement. But the first time I held her out to see the beetles, our relationship changed. It didn't take long until she was fully invested in being a chicken vacuum. Holding her, I'd extend her to the beetles, and she'd gobble them up. 

Imogene got to the point, where she rested in my hands, neck outstretched, waiting for me to show her the next beetle.

Looking for the next victim!

As a whole, the chicks are doing great! It's been a blast being a chicken-mom. This morning while watering my garden, I kept hearing what sounded like a squeaky gate being opened. I'd shut the water off, look around, and after seeing nothing, go back to watering my garden. After the second time, I realized I was hearing baby rooster cry! My baby rooster! Luckily, I live far enough from others, that this is not an issue. Tomorrow, I hope to wake early enough to catch it crowing!

 I'm not sure which one it is, but suspect its the smaller black chick. Regardless, as soon as I figure out who is crowing, its name will be Cletus. 

Tonight, I also had some special visitors. 

These locals decided to drop by and hang out for a bit. 

And these two very special friends volunteered as quality insurance inspectors and tested the hammock to make sure it felt peaceful enough. (They said it passed inspection, though one fell asleep on the job.)