[gardeners] Pesticides' Time Out
margaret lauterbach (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Thu, 15 Apr 1999 08:55:10 -0600
A friend owns an herb business in a small town near Boise. Last year and
earlier this year I admired her bug-getters, 5 white and one black silky
chicken. Her gates were open, and just as I asked what keeps them inside,
she answered "they just don't want to go out side of the yard. They have
enough food here," as they single-filed out of the fenced yard. They didn't
go far, but turned around and single-filed back into the yard with the
herbs. I don't know how she wintered them over, but earlier this year I saw
them working over an herb bed, leaving not one insect behind. The next
time I went there, not a sign of the silkies. I asked about them and she
answered they were "at home, having a time out.
They apparently tired of eating insects and tried plucking out some ID
tags. Lisa said she thought it was cute and funny at first, but when they
concentrated entirely on the tags, Lisa got angry. She took them home and
told them they were havinga timeout. Great idea, gone awry. Margaret L