Herding Hens

The chickens got out yesterday again a couple of times before I found the escape spot and secured the gate. They loved the warmth of the south lawn in the front and were happily scratching for bugs clearing leaves out of the front beds. Pecking in the driveway for gravel but when one got out in the road I had to take more immediate action. The neighbors grin as they drive by watching me trying to "herd" my hens only slightly easier than herding cats! They do come for feed unless they have discovered something really yummy in the garden of flower beds.

I got the leaves raked up that they scattered about the front lawn and it looks better it felt great to be doing yard work in the sunshine. Compared to the temps. we've had this past week 47* felt like summer loving that time for fresh air and exercise out side was good for all of us. This is great exercise for me!

So today I'll be checking fence lines to make sure they are secure and get treats thawing from the freezer and other fun things for the chickens to have in the pen to keep them interested in that while I do this. It's time to clean the run I did a bit of that yesterday will keep working at it a bit each day that we have above freezing making progress as I can. 

We need to see what we can do for the brooder prep. for chicks later on when it warms up a bit more. We were talking about that yesterday the stores will have chicks soon in the feed stores that is exciting to think about. We need to "make room". 


Tonight when I closed the coop the chickens were all tucked in for the night I noticed that some are sleeping outside others were in the coop, two here and three there, they have spread out now that it's warmed up they, do not need to huddle together for warmth. I put the tall roost back in today. Tomorrow I'll switch out the ladder roosts.