Our big chickens can’t see what’s going on at the new coop but apparently word has reached them that the new coop is quite nice . . maybe nicer than their own. They’ve been trying to get a glimpse of the new coop and I guess they decided they needed a better vantage point.
As I was walking to the garden, I looked up . . always looking for something above me or below me that might attack, and I saw this . . what’s wrong with this picture?
The escape artists are back in the tree!
They’re so proud of themselves! We thought we had fixed the pen where they couldn’t do this but obviously . . we had not!
They tried explaining that they just wanted to see the new condo! No harm intended!
We discussed the rules about staying in the pen . . for their own safety . . and they reluctantly agreed to come down. Not really . . but they did come down far enough that I was able to grab them and put them back in the pen. I think I fixed it so they can’t escape but I’ve thought that for the past 5 days now and on 4 of those days, they’ve escaped. (Notice that big green grasshopper on the front of their coop! Thank goodness they didn’t see it.)
We would let them run loose but there are so many hawks around here. The pen they’re in now is temporary. Once Vince gets the second coop finished, he’ll start building permanent, escape proof runs.
cindyB says
Judy,
Wow they are so pretty, but quite the escape artists! They must be teenagers testing the limits… If I were a chicken, I’d be happy to have a nice house to live in and not be someone’s Sunday fried chicken dinner!
Peggy says
You made me laugh out loud this morning. I needed that! Thanks.
Karen says
They are so pretty – and smart!
Helen Koenigl says
LOL – re chickens flying ANYWHERE – (same for ducks and geese) – you need to clip one wing. Why one? to keep the bird a bit off balance – sort of like trying to have a plane take off with one wing dragging the ground.
Clipping the wing does NOT hurt sinc you are only clipping the feathers – and you will need to do it yearly. DO keep track of which bird – and make a rule about which wing to clip (ask me how I know – and about some of my lovely chickens with TWO wings clipped when I had intended only ONE!) Just use a pair of scissors – and DON’T cut it really short – just enough on one side to throw off any unintended flight!
Always a good idea whether you do this with chickens IN the coop or pen – or those allowed free range.
Alternative is to be prepared to find chickens EVERYWHERE!
JudyL says
No, we have our run covered. Since the fence is temporary, it isn’t as tight as it should be in places and they’re finding their way out in those spots. We don’t clip their wings because when we do let them out to free range, we want them to be able to fly to get away from danger.
Linda in NE says
Ah, teenage chickens! And you thought you were done raising a teenager.
Debbie says
MMMMM, OK, I’m freaking out about those teradactyl hoppers…..any bug big enough to be seen in a picture from far away, is a bug tooooooo big for ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pat says
Ohhhhh….your days are always so interesting compared to mine!
Lee says
Hehe, silly birds, maybe they think they are the hawks, and want to be up high. Maybe you could build up and around that branch for them…I’m sure they’d like that a lot. Love hearing about your chickens antics…they’re as amusing as my kitties’ antics.
Norma says
Judy, love your chicken stories. You can make a great story out of anything. Love your sense of humor. Thanks for sharing your days with us.
Shirley Albertson Owens (sao) says
They are adorable…I am so glad that you have chickens. You are a GREAT STORYTELLER and I love the pictures. I have never seen chickens in a tree. OH MY – love those chickens! Thanks for sharing!
sao in Midlothian, VA