Free-range chooks, children and guinea pigs ... no longer

Whether it be your chickens, your children or my guinea pigs, free-range has it's pros and cons!

I have only ever housed free-range chickens and I truly believe the happier the chicken, the yummier the egg!  We have had many chickens over the last ten years of living in the Hinterland, but sadly, we have also lost every single one of them.  Now, I only buy free-range eggs...

We also had a very friendly goanna in Maleny, and he loved our free-range eggs as much as we did!  We thought we had some lazy hens until we saw him scurrying down the tree trunk, slyly looking around before he crept into the chicken pen and munched up all of our eggs.

Since moving from our lovely 22 acres, to a one acre property in a semi-rural area, we have quite a few neighbours close by.  Our last three chickens, Sunshine, Jet & Henriette all disappeared into our neighbours yard through a hole in the fence and met their fate with Kai, the beautiful dog next door.  Sad, but true!  I didn't have the heart to break the news to my very sensitive first born, Noah, so I told a little white lie and said that they were much happier now in the natural bushland reserve at the end of our street! 

I like to think that my children are free-range ... I like them to make as many decisions for themselves as possible.  Within reason of course!  I would never allow them to be in a dangerous situation or to make a very obvious incorrect decision that would result in pain and suffering, but I like them to think for themselves and learn from their simple mistakes.  It surprises me how many people may consider this 'bad parenting'.  My children are my life and I love them more than anything in the beautiful world we live in.  I like to sit back and watch them play and work things out for themselves, they are amazing, and usually do!

The parents that I am very different to, are the ones who like to control their children, not allowing them to get dirty and play with bugs, but are more than happy for their own to sit in front of the television of game console for as many hours a day as they like, feed them processed foods full of unnatural additives.

We are all different, but I'd like to think that we can all take a little bit and learn from one another.

Sadly, we had one of our guinea pigs disappear last week.  Yes, our guinea pigs are sometimes free-range as my 2 year old is constantly opening the door to their very roomy home (because it truly doesn't bother me too much as they always come back), but sadly this time one didn't.  It was Forcefield, brother to G-Force and Speckles ... and today when Noah, Eli and I were cleaning out their space, topping up their food and water and putting G-Force and Speckles away for the evening, I had a thought come to mind - Forcefield was taken by the very plump kookaburra whom resides on our swing every day!  Oh, so sad, poor little Forcefield!  He would never have run away!!

So, free-range omelette for supper, free-range children snug in bed, fire on and guinea pigs in their freshly cleaned home ... I am going to enjoy a warm milk with honey and have an early night... sweet dreams!