Something Fowl

Something fowl was afoot as the word traveled that Mr. Contraptioneer had conspired to restrict the movement of the ladies in certain areas of the yard.  The hen committee easily made a quorum as they scratched about inspecting the newly installed chicken wire, and prepared to vote.  The rumor was that the fence was to be even more substantial in the future, and that Mr. Contraptioneer was entirely oblivious to the pecking order.  Their aim? To get him to scratch the entire project.