We have a visiting chicken, explained in a previous post:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/827123/chicken-visitor#post_12064106
I finally finished her coop. I call it the Chicken palace, and the visiting chicken (named Miss Penny by my wife) is now in residence.
It's pretty big, enough for 3 birds comfortably, 4 in a pinch. We were a little worried about her using the stairs. After leaving her in the run for a few hours to explore, my wife pushed Miss Penny into the enclosed area, through the little chicken door. She explored the inside. found a spot she liked and just sat. That evening we coaxed her down the stairs with a few treats. Now she goes up and down as she pleases. She slept in there last night, coming down when my wife appeared with some breakfast.
Miss Penny had an adventure the day before I completed the coop. We went to Wal-Mart Saturday for our weekly shopping, and when we returned we found no Miss Penny. We did find plenty of feathers all over the yard, but no carcass or blood. We were really worried she might have been carried away by a predator. By dinner though, she appeared back behind the smoker (where she had taken up residence), looking ruffled, a little wet and very miffed. I don't know where she was hiding when we went looking for her.
I suspect our dog Marcy tried to play with her with unhappy results. We had been happy at the way Marcy tolerated Miss Penny, but Marcy can be disobedient if she believes she will get away with it.
I believe Miss Penny feels safer in the cage. I know I do.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/827123/chicken-visitor#post_12064106
I finally finished her coop. I call it the Chicken palace, and the visiting chicken (named Miss Penny by my wife) is now in residence.
It's pretty big, enough for 3 birds comfortably, 4 in a pinch. We were a little worried about her using the stairs. After leaving her in the run for a few hours to explore, my wife pushed Miss Penny into the enclosed area, through the little chicken door. She explored the inside. found a spot she liked and just sat. That evening we coaxed her down the stairs with a few treats. Now she goes up and down as she pleases. She slept in there last night, coming down when my wife appeared with some breakfast.
Miss Penny had an adventure the day before I completed the coop. We went to Wal-Mart Saturday for our weekly shopping, and when we returned we found no Miss Penny. We did find plenty of feathers all over the yard, but no carcass or blood. We were really worried she might have been carried away by a predator. By dinner though, she appeared back behind the smoker (where she had taken up residence), looking ruffled, a little wet and very miffed. I don't know where she was hiding when we went looking for her.
I suspect our dog Marcy tried to play with her with unhappy results. We had been happy at the way Marcy tolerated Miss Penny, but Marcy can be disobedient if she believes she will get away with it.
I believe Miss Penny feels safer in the cage. I know I do.
