I know it is pretty popping around here.

I've thought of many things regarding the pool, including just making them live in the coop complex. That would greatly reduce the risks to their lives. Such as:
  • Death by hawk
  • Death by drowning
  • Death by car on the street (I once found Phyllis in the street)
  • Death by daytime ground predator (dogs, etc.)
And make my life easier:
  • No poop to wash off the deck
  • No poop to wash off the patio
  • No one stealing my tomatoes from the deck planter
  • No poop on my seat cushions
  • No one sneaking in my house (I see you Phyllis)
  • No one crushing the flowers in my deck pots
  • No one banging on the back door demanding snacks
  • No chickens mooching dinner when I eat outside
But I would also miss out on:
  • No coffee clatch in the morning
  • No one sneaking in my house (I see you Phyllis)
  • No chickens mooching dinner when I eat outside
  • No one banging on the back door demanding snacks
  • No watching them as they move across the grass mowing it for me
  • No dust pits under the magnolia tree.
  • No chickens being chickens
I just feel they should have the opportunity to roam and I always feel bad when they are locked in the complex all day.

I could limit their free range to when I can guard them like a shepherd but that would limit their free range to an hour or so in the evening when I can stand guard. To me that is like recess at a prison. A nice prison but a prison none the less.

I choose to let them free range when I am home despite the risk. I feel it is a better quality of life for them and I try to manage the risk by checking on them and listening for alarm calls. This instance with Ned is the first time no one has called for help when some one has fallen in the pool. I am usually there within minutes if not seconds of someone falling in. The call for help is very distinctive.

This is not the right solution for everyone. It is how I have chosen to let my ladies live. It has cost me several hens, Dolly to a hawk, Elphie and Dusty to the pool, and sweet Maleficent to a predator. But Maleficent would not have been the special hen she was cooped up in the complex day after day.
I respect all that :) No judgment, i was trying to think/offer suggestions of a way to "Child Proof " the environment without limiting freedoms. It's sad to hear of anyone's losses but that's a risk we all take raising "Prey". I think you have a great setup and your flock is lucky to live with you. My flock is jealous of the freedom your flock has. Another thought I had was a "Floating Island" where they could make emergency landings. :frow
 
I'm so glad she pulled through, poor baby. How long until she came around?
Let's see. Monday the chicks came. Tuesday, Nancy Pearl the White Marans chick had a cut foot, and as soon as I took care of THAT, I found Franny. I already knew Libby was ill by that time, but I had to tend to Fran first, so Fran went in Tuesday. Libby passed Wednesday, and Fran was still inside, she was inside until yesterday, Thursday. Took care of a little pasty butt last night on Peggy Annie, the Buckeye chick, and here we are today.

I was surprised at how she bounced back! Because Tuesday she looked truly awful. I didn't know if she would make it. Wednesday she looked a lot better, but she was weak. She fell off her perch in the night, too, which made me nervous. I had already seen Libby pass, and then Fran fell in the night and my first thought was, "Oh no! Death throes!" But luckily that wasn't happening. She just fell and panicked and flapped around, so I put her back into the box--not her fave, but no falls. LOL

Then Thursday morning she really seemed better, ate well. I brought her outside warily, as Nora had pecked her a bit before for the first time ever when she was ill. But Fran looked at Nora as if to say, "Don't try it," and it was fine.
[/QUOTE]
Yikes, what a stressful week!
 
Let's see. Monday the chicks came. Tuesday, Nancy Pearl the White Marans chick had a cut foot, and as soon as I took care of THAT, I found Franny. I already knew Libby was ill by that time, but I had to tend to Fran first, so Fran went in Tuesday. Libby passed Wednesday, and Fran was still inside, she was inside until yesterday, Thursday. Took care of a little pasty butt last night on Peggy Annie, the Buckeye chick, and here we are today.

I was surprised at how she bounced back! Because Tuesday she looked truly awful. I didn't know if she would make it. Wednesday she looked a lot better, but she was weak. She fell off her perch in the night, too, which made me nervous. I had already seen Libby pass, and then Fran fell in the night and my first thought was, "Oh no! Death throes!" But luckily that wasn't happening. She just fell and panicked and flapped around, so I put her back into the box--not her fave, but no falls. LOL

Then Thursday morning she really seemed better, ate well. I brought her outside warily, as Nora had pecked her a bit before for the first time ever when she was ill. But Fran looked at Nora as if to say, "Don't try it," and it was fine.
What was wrong with Libby, @FransGran ?
[/QUOTE]
The vet said she had come to us with an infection throughout her reproductive tract and that it was extensive. She said there was really nothing we could have done, but even so I really felt bad letting her down that way. 😭 She was older. And I could see from the time I laid eyes on her despite a lack of training that something must be wrong. But I felt at least we could maybe make her comfortable. But we couldn’t.
 
Let's see. Monday the chicks came. Tuesday, Nancy Pearl the White Marans chick had a cut foot, and as soon as I took care of THAT, I found Franny. I already knew Libby was ill by that time, but I had to tend to Fran first, so Fran went in Tuesday. Libby passed Wednesday, and Fran was still inside, she was inside until yesterday, Thursday. Took care of a little pasty butt last night on Peggy Annie, the Buckeye chick, and here we are today.

I was surprised at how she bounced back! Because Tuesday she looked truly awful. I didn't know if she would make it. Wednesday she looked a lot better, but she was weak. She fell off her perch in the night, too, which made me nervous. I had already seen Libby pass, and then Fran fell in the night and my first thought was, "Oh no! Death throes!" But luckily that wasn't happening. She just fell and panicked and flapped around, so I put her back into the box--not her fave, but no falls. LOL

Then Thursday morning she really seemed better, ate well. I brought her outside warily, as Nora had pecked her a bit before for the first time ever when she was ill. But Fran looked at Nora as if to say, "Don't try it," and it was fine.
Yikes, what a stressful week!
[/QUOTE]
It was 🙁 but I need to remember how fortunate we are. We could have lost all in a predator attack or illness. Who knows! And I’m glad she’s not suffering. 😭
 
A double Fluffy Butt entry from me today. This is Tack the hen I've been looking for.
I've found her nest...well, I know where it is within two square metres. My problem is extracting her without trapping her and possibly causing an injury. More later.
Tack left her nest at 8am. She diidn't go back to it until 1pm.:rolleyes:
View attachment 2289740View attachment 2289741View attachment 2289742View attachment 2289743

I lost her at one point. That's her up a tree.View attachment 2289744
There's lots to be happy about in this post :D
 
What was wrong with Libby, @FransGran ?
The vet said she had come to us with an infection throughout her reproductive tract and that it was extensive. She said there was really nothing we could have done, but even so I really felt bad letting her down that way. 😭 She was older. And I could see from the time I laid eyes on her despite a lack of training that something must be wrong. But I felt at least we could maybe make her comfortable. But we couldn’t.
[/QUOTE]
I also lost a hen to a uterine infection earlier this year. Her name was Sandy.

I blame myself because I didn't get her a hysterectomy while she was healthy enough to recover from it. But the vet kindly blames economic pressures for forcing people to breed hens that lay fast and die young.

IMG_20191211_094337.jpg
 

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