Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Chicken Escape!

We had our first chicken escape of the year yesterday.  Lydia didn't latch the coop really well and the door swung open. Kevin was leaving for work when he looked over and saw chickens scattered to the four winds.  Well, it wasn't that bad. They didn't wander too far from the coop but they WERE excited about being free, briefly.


  Naomi, Lydia, and Isaac ran out and quickly captured all the chickens. BUT, Ms. Guinea Fowl was not happy about being captured, so she flew into the unused part of the chicken yard.  She can fly a little, while the hens cannot.
 
  That part of the chicken yard is currently blocked off. There was no way for us to get in without taking down part of the fencing.

  She spent the day outside.  Occasionally she would hop up onto the coop roof, and once or twice she went into another part of the chicken yard -- but that wasn't accessible either.  I was rather concerned about her as she was cut off from the food and water and it was quite chilly.  There was snow on the ground and some grass seed so she got some moisture and food.

  As the day drew to a close, she jumped out into the area near the accessible door.  The chickens were all roosting, so Naomi and Lydia went outside and ushered her back into the coop.  Ah, a good end to an adventure!

  Interestingly, the chickens had a terrible egg day. We only got 2 eggs, both green (so from Auracanas.)  They never lay as well when they have a disrupted day and I think the combination of the escape, plus losing the guinea hen, affected them. The guinea is the top bird in the pecking order, and she keeps things in order.  I think her loss made them unsettled.

We're hoping for a really good egg day today.  Naomi went out a few minutes ago and 3 chickens were in nesting boxes.

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