Oh, Heavens!
We moved our six 6-week old chicks from the grow-out pen in the large coop to a chicken tractor. Figured we'd let them get "up to size" in the tractor before putting them in with the Big Girls. The tractor is pushed up against the run so that the Big Girls get to see the chicks all day but can't get at them.
As we moved them this morning, I wanted to put the chicks into the coop portion of the tractor so they'd have some time to get used to that area. DH said "NO" - to put them in the bottom, grassy portion and they'd go into the coop when it got dark. HA!
They didn't. They laid on the ground, huddled up against each other, and cried a pitiful sounding chorus of peeps when it began to get dark. OH, I tried to coax them with food, I shined a light in the coop area, I talked to them. They cried louder.
DH decided he'd crawl in the tractor and pick them up to put them in the coop. It was entertaining as he's 6'4" and it's a tractor. Believe it or not, he got three in that way. The other three hid in the back corner where he couldn't reach them. Of course.
Then DH tells me to "get the net"! Thankfully, for the chicks and not for me. He was going to use the net to reach those in the back and pop them into the coop. Well, I think DH's butt hit the door and popped it open and one of those little critters - which are slicker than snot - managed to escape. She heads for the WOODS which are full of vermin including two foxes that we're battling with. YIKES!
So - here we are - in the pitch dark - running across the yard trying to see this thing. Let me just say here - we're Grandparents. We're at an age where running isn't pleasant or attractive and could actually be dangerous. For us, anyway. Of course, it was a barred rock that escaped and we could hardly see her. He tells me to THROW the net and he knows I throw like a 6 year old girl. I missed, of course. He told me I need to be faster - DUH! I will give him credit where it's due - he grabbed that net off the ground in the dark and made a dive for her, getting her as she reached the woods. We both hit the dirt, which was really a mass of woodsy weeds - probably rolled in poison ivy - but came up with the chick. She screamed like we were pulling her toe nails off.
They're all in the coop and are sleeping now. I've got a blistering headache but at least nothing is broken after all the running and diving. DH has gone to bed.
Moral of the Story: Introduce them to the coop area FIRST in the hope that they'll know to get into it when bedtime comes. And I guess I need to learn to throw better.
Sorry for the venting . . .
We moved our six 6-week old chicks from the grow-out pen in the large coop to a chicken tractor. Figured we'd let them get "up to size" in the tractor before putting them in with the Big Girls. The tractor is pushed up against the run so that the Big Girls get to see the chicks all day but can't get at them.
As we moved them this morning, I wanted to put the chicks into the coop portion of the tractor so they'd have some time to get used to that area. DH said "NO" - to put them in the bottom, grassy portion and they'd go into the coop when it got dark. HA!
They didn't. They laid on the ground, huddled up against each other, and cried a pitiful sounding chorus of peeps when it began to get dark. OH, I tried to coax them with food, I shined a light in the coop area, I talked to them. They cried louder.
DH decided he'd crawl in the tractor and pick them up to put them in the coop. It was entertaining as he's 6'4" and it's a tractor. Believe it or not, he got three in that way. The other three hid in the back corner where he couldn't reach them. Of course.
Then DH tells me to "get the net"! Thankfully, for the chicks and not for me. He was going to use the net to reach those in the back and pop them into the coop. Well, I think DH's butt hit the door and popped it open and one of those little critters - which are slicker than snot - managed to escape. She heads for the WOODS which are full of vermin including two foxes that we're battling with. YIKES!
So - here we are - in the pitch dark - running across the yard trying to see this thing. Let me just say here - we're Grandparents. We're at an age where running isn't pleasant or attractive and could actually be dangerous. For us, anyway. Of course, it was a barred rock that escaped and we could hardly see her. He tells me to THROW the net and he knows I throw like a 6 year old girl. I missed, of course. He told me I need to be faster - DUH! I will give him credit where it's due - he grabbed that net off the ground in the dark and made a dive for her, getting her as she reached the woods. We both hit the dirt, which was really a mass of woodsy weeds - probably rolled in poison ivy - but came up with the chick. She screamed like we were pulling her toe nails off.
They're all in the coop and are sleeping now. I've got a blistering headache but at least nothing is broken after all the running and diving. DH has gone to bed.
Moral of the Story: Introduce them to the coop area FIRST in the hope that they'll know to get into it when bedtime comes. And I guess I need to learn to throw better.
Sorry for the venting . . .
