Outwitting the Porcine Princess

About a month ago, Lucy and Ethel moved the chicken coop from the garden to Wynonna's stall in the barn so that the girls would have a warmer and less windy place to roost for the winter. Since then, the pig and the poultry have been getting along just fine, if you can call totally ignoring each other getting along.

Late last week, I heard some particularly loud squawking coming from the barn and went to investigate. The Porcine Princess had invited herself into the coop for lunch, dumped over the feeder, gorged herself on Layena pellets, and made a general mess of things. Bull in a china shop – pig in a chicken coop, same idea. Wynonna suffered no ill effects from eating the chicken feed, thank goodness, but I knew I had to do something quick to prevent her from crossing over into the land of plenty ever again.

After a careful review of all my options, not the least of which 

was building a separate chicken wing onto the barn, I went for simplicity:

I screwed an old piece of wood to the bottom of the door frame.

Wynonna's short little legs can't climb over the plank, but the hens can still hop in and out.

And as long as I pay attention (yeah, right), I won't trip over it when I go inside.

Wynonna is less than pleased. 

I regularly find her standing at the doorstep, contemplating her next move.

I think she's smart enough to realize that if she tries to climb over, she would get high-centered.

But she's also smart enough to outwit me. If there's food involved, she'll figure out a way to get it. 

I wouldn't be at all surprised if she trains one of the chickens to bring the food to her.

Oh, Wynonna, you're such a clever creature. 

It's part of your charm, and I wouldn't have it any other way.