Susan's Pest Control

I went out to pick some arugula for our supper today and found that slugs have discovered it.  See the little holes in the leaves in the lower left corner of the photo?  Some of the leaves also have the telltale wiggly tracks made by slugs. 

So Herb brought me a bucket of D.E. which I sprinkled all over the arugula, broccoli, brussels sprouts, and beans.  It won't hurt us, and it washes off easily, but it does seem to temporarily do away with slugs and small caterpillars.  If it rains, we'll have to apply more--but it doesn't look like that will happen any time soon.  :(

While I was busy in the garden, I heard the hens going into their coop for the night.  Suddenly there was a commotion inside, and Gypsy came out.  A few minutes later she went back in, more commotion ensued, and out she came again.  Finally poor Gypsy went in a third time, and I decided it was time to intervene.  I shut their door and peeked in the window to see what would happen.  No sooner had Gypsy settled on a perch than Victoria and Esmerelda went after her and chased her to the opposite perch.  As soon as she settled there, Victoria started after her again.  Being in a pest control mood, I opened the big door, reached in and grabbed Victoria, and shut her outside of the coop.  Obviously unhappy, she tried to get in the closed door.  After a few minutes I let her back in, hoping she'd gotten the message.  This time Esmerelda went after Gypsy first, and then Victoria joined her.

By this time, I'd had enough.  I opened the big door, grabbed both Mean Girls, marched them over to the empty brooder house, and plopped them in there.  They still aren't over their molt and haven't laid an egg in nearly two months, so their credit with me is low!  This was not a good time for them to decide to persecute sweet Gypsy!  I was so mad, I would have happily shut them outside for the night, but I could hear an owl in the woods nearby, and no matter how mad I was at them, I didn't want them to be torn to pieces.  So I guess the Chicken Palace has temporarily become the Mean Girls' Club!

Pests?  Bring 'em on!  Susan's Pest Control has the answer!