Gate Installed!

SUSAN:
Wow, it's been quite some time since we have made a post! Apologies!

Nigel has installed a gate so that we have access to the chicken yard. Now, we don't have to go through the coop to change the water or deliver the grass clippings. This gate is much more convenient than going through the coop. No more (well almost!) hitting your head on the wooden beam, jumping out of the front door of the coop, & then changing the water or dropping the grass clippings. It's taken at least 7.5 minutes off the time needed to do any chicken chores.

Hooray for Nigel!

Our mates Lance & Jimmy, as well as Russell & Cynthia (all who helped with erecting the varmint-proof fence) will be disappointed to know that there are some spaces in the chicken wire as a result of the fence. Look closely in the photo. Nigel assures me (and the chicks) that raccoons, fox, etc. cannot access the chicken yard through these spaces & that the chickens are secure!

Why #75 Must Be Eaten!!

SUSAN:
Yes, I know that when we first got the chicks, I wanted them all to be my pets. Yes, I know that I vowed never to eat them or see them as "farm animals", but treat them all as pets.

Today that all changed!!!!

#75 is an Australorp Rooster. He's been a bit aggressive with me the past several days, but today he really took it TOO FAR. Today he actually aggressively attacked my croc and then came after me!! I took off my croc and BEAT HIM, but he just kept coming!! I was screaming 'bloody murder' and trying to run out of the chicken yard ... and, he just kept coming! This definitely could be the basis of a scary movie.

Officially I have said the following to Nigel and feel it should be documented:
1. I will not go into the yard.
2. I will not interact with #75.
3. #75 must be dinner soon.

Would anyone disagree?

Chick with the Pearl Earring

SUSAN:
So, you may have figured out that I L-O-V-E Curious Georgette (AKA #1). She is my pet. I do adore her. Anyway, when I go out to feed the chickens in the evening, she has taken to standing on top of the feeder and requesting that I feed her first, from the cup that I am using to dip-out the chicken feed. And, how can I resist? So, I feed her a bit, and then I pour a bit into the feeder ... feed her a bit pour a bit into the feeder ... you get the picture.

NIGEL:
Yes this is the nightmare I am dealing with?!!? The chickens are being completely confused by this sort of treatment... very chicken-unlike treatment!!!

Back to SUSAN:
Well, I went to lean down to make sure that the feed was actually going through the feeder appropriately, when Curious Georgette took my pearl earring RIGHT OUT OF MY EAR! I instinctly grabbed the back of the earring, then looked up to see my Pearl Earring (that, by the way was a college graduation present) perfectly balanced between her upper and lower beak. If only I had a camera ... or the time to take the photo! I immediately went for the pearl earring, which she dropped onto the floor of the coup. I made lots of loud noises to distract the other chickens so that they wouldn't pick it up before me.

NOTE: For those of you lucky enough never to have owned chickens, if there's something new in the coop to pick up & run around with, this is a BIG game. See Nigel's post about the chicken coop's similiarities to a tailgate party for more.

I had to dig through a bit of unmentionable "droppings" on the coop floor, but I did recover the earring!! That Georgette .... she's a bit TOO curious. What did curiosity do to the cat???

NIGEL:
Exactly.... made it into a broiler!!!

An Escapee!!!

NIGEL:
Well I was working in the yard & heard some rustling in the woods, which alerted Boomer to potential danger! He immediately went into action & started barking through the fence. I thought it must have been a squirrel or chipmunk. Not long afterwards, Austin joined the barking activity, although he was facing a different direction.... & not really sure what the barking was about!??

Anyway, as I was carrying a load of grass down to the chooks, the boys, started going berserk & I heard a loud flutter & turned to see what I thought was a turkey flying across the yard into the white pines near the coop. I then realized that it was a female Australorp.... #8 (yes we have them all finally tagged/banded!

So I began to determine how I would get #8 back into the coop (the only ways in at the moment are over the fence or through the main door? I decided that I would heard her to the main door. After 10 mins or so of careful & skillful herding (from years of mustering sheep, cows, rugby opponents & young children) she chose to go through the door. Whew!!!