Bird brains

while our chickens are fun, and certainly great egg producers. They also are typical bird brains ! yesterday, we moved their coop from one side of the shop to the other. Their food and water was moved over there, while the coop was being leveled. And, they were right under foot and clearly aware of where it was located .

When I got home from work, there was just a little daylight left. I noticed that the flock was huddled together in the spot where the coop used to be. So, I hurried into the house and grabbed some treats, and went to coax them around to their coop before the sun set. The first friendly few followed me eagerly with the others close behind. As I got halfway to our destination, most of them turned around and went back to their little safe spot that wasn’t really so safe. So, I picked up my friendly girls, one at a time and took them to the doorway of the coop where they eagerly hurried into the warm, familiar safe space.

it took a little bit of chasing to get the others, and Chuck came out to help me. I had managed to put most of them in and Chuck added our big rooster to the bunch settled safe in their home. Meanwhile., the effort became complicated as chickens don’t see well in the dark, it started to thunder and spit rain and the skittish remnant were harder to catch. Eventually, we got the final two hens, and the second rooster was being difficult. So Chuck counted the flock and realized we had one more hen still missing. He remembered he had seen it go over by our cabin and sure enough, he found her hunkered down. She was happy to be picked up and taken home. The rooster spent a night out in gail and rain and woke with a hearty crow at 4am this morning. Mr. rooster was not smart enough to go in the coop when the getting was good so he will become chicken stew. We had planned to butcher a couple of birds and the bird brain activity made it an easy choice to pick which one was going to become supper.

I am grateful that Chuck does the butchering because I am do not have the heart or the stomach for that. The rest of the flock are healthy, happy and joyfully laying eggs every day. We hope their resident rooster, Foghorn, helps keep them safe and enjoys having the girls all to himself.