Prepping the backyard for free range chickens

As the weather warms the chickens discovered that life outside the basement is really exciting.  While the yard has been duck-escape-proof for years, it was not chicken safe, primarily because early last summer a gaggle of hoodlums escaped from a rival drug gang using our backyard as a short cut.  In the process, they broke two sections of fencing and both our gate locks.  This was the problem (as far as chickens go), as the gate didn't shut properly and didn't reach close enough to the ground to keep wandering chickens contained.  I set to removing the gate a few days ago and discovered that Simon has padlocked a chain onto it and promptly tossed the key to the winds.  We both searched the house and garage high and low but could find to key.

I went to Home Depot (I have been there pretty much every day in the past week or so) and picked up a "bolt cutter"--used only for cutting chains and destroying padlocks, I am sure.

It made short work of the chain.  I had intrusive thoughts of snipping off fingers and toes while using it.  

Pretzel, quick to remind me that he has no fingers and very small toes, watched as I worked.  (This is his backyard, after all.)

Lock and chain gone, I needed to get a section of lattice fencing.  Back to Home Depot!  Once I had the fencing, I soon realized it would not fit into Simon's car.  A worker who saw me puzzling the matter over in the parking lot off promised to get me loads of twine (they hand it out for free, I now know).  He did, and he gave me advice, but he wouldn't help me attach it.  He said that there were "strict rules" about not helping customers attach stuff to their roof.  I assured him I could manage and did.  I was amazed it didn't blow off on the drive home--didn't even wiggle--and makes me want to buy a sheet a day.  (I do wonder, though, how we got all the other sections home.  I have no memory whatsoever of how we did it.  Yet there they are in our yard and I do remember putting the fencing up.)

Here it is.  I also tacked up some plastic fencing along the bottom just to be extra certain.  Once the chickens gain a few more pounds, we will be able to take that off.  [Product plugs:  fix it jobs are so much more fun now that I have both a battery powered drill--not something I thought I wanted, it was a Grandpa indulgence, but wow, do I know better now--and a battery powered nail gun.  I use that nail gun every day!  (That, too, causes intrusive thoughts, mainly of the sort of using it to nail nails into people's heads.  I never had these thoughts before I watched Coen Brother movies.  We had to get rid of our chipper/shredder after seeing Fargo...)]