Well, I had to sell my rooster on Craigs list! It was so sad to say goodbye to such a beautiful and tame fellow. but the neighbors were starting to complain about his beautiful voice early in the morning. The day after he left I opened the coup and the hen seemed to think he must be outside so she took a walk around the yard. When I asked her to come back to the coup she took flight. I was amazed at how high she could fly. Off to the neighbor's roof. I couldn't coax her down, so she spent the night there. The following day I managed to get her to fly off that roof where she landed on his shed for the afternoon. I got a ladder and as soon as I got withing reaching distance she took flight again to a very tall fir tree and roosted there about 40 feet above ground. That is where she spent one or two nights before she disappeared.
So now I have to start over with new peeps! I purchased two black sex links and two golden sex links along with two Rhode Island Reds. The feed store said there is a 90 percent chance they will grow up to be hens. So here's hoping. I guess I will be much more careful with opening the coup door in the future. Right now the peeps are less than a week old and seem very content inside the chicken house under a nice warm red heat lamp. I plan to personally spend time with each one so they will become accustomed to my voice and being handled. Maybe then as they get their flight wings they will want to stay near home where they will feel loved. If anyone has any suggestions on this bonding idea please let me know. I really don't want to lose anymore of my feathered friends.
