Junior Bucket Boy
The sun came out today at Fluffy Butt Acres. So of course there was a problem. The heated water dish had frozen. Now Every morning I take fresh water out to their run. It freezes every night and I know they prefer to eat and drink in the run if they can. So fresh hot water from the house will last quite a while until it freezes up. So they had water. No problem there. And I noticed it right away as I always check the water and the feed in the coop when I go out, just in case. Of course I had a problem. It could be one of three things
- The heater has failed. I would need to replace it. $80 I think. (Is that right @RoyalChick ?)
- The breaker has tripped. Not too bad. That is in the garage. No snow to deal with there.
- The GFI outlet has tripped. In some ways, this is the worst of the possible scenarios. It's not $80 but the GFI on the deck is buried under a lot of snow. Now it is protected so the snow cannot enter it but it is nonetheless buried.
First step to troubleshooting, is there power at the water dish?
Nope
That's good. It is likely not the dish. Next easiest to check, the breaker. It's not tripped but I reset it anyway. Just in case I check the power out at the coop. Is there power?
Nope
Ugh! Next up is the GFI. I get the shovel and start to head over to dig it out.
While I am checking everything out and messing with everything, I never closed the run door. All of a sudden I have a little helper.
Hello Phyllis. You looking to have a little adventure today?
It occurred to me that with the sun out they might want to at least come out onto the paths I have shoveled around the yard so i opened the side door as well. Phyllis wasn't keen on following me to the deck so i left her at the coop and I went to work digging out the GFI.
I got the GFI dug out and it was tripped. I reset it. Go back to the coop and I have power again. I plug in the heated water dish, mission accomplished.
I thought nothing more about it and went back to work. A short time later I went to the coffee pot and two little faces greeted me at the back door. Two brave hens had made their way to come see me. Of course they were rewarded for their bravery.
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Sydney and Phyllis were all over the paths today. Here are some more photos.
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By late afternoon the whole tribe had found their way to the backdoor. You give 2 hens treats and they will tell everyone else.
In between I had to rescue Sansa from the garden. Something happened and she panicked and flew out into the snow. She stood there stranded until I came over and she she flew right into my arms. It was so sweet. I carried her to the rest of the tribe.
They stayed on the deck until it was time to roost. Phyllis went first, then Hattie and Sydney left. Usually Lilly is right behind Phyllis. It was weird to see her still on the deck with Sansa and Aurora. She would go down to the last step but would not get down. I decided to video what occurred next.
I wound up carrying Lilly from the snow over to the coop.
That left Aurora and Sansa. Sansa led Aurora down a different path.
I had to stop the recording and grab Sansa before she started to try and fly over the pool all the way to the coop. So Sansa got another ride. This time over to the coop.
Aurora was in full panic at this point and just took off flying. She wound up over where Lilly landed the first time. I started over to help her and she flew further into the winter wonderland. Here is the video of me trying to get close enough to help her.
I had to put the phone away and use both hands but I gathered her up and walked her over to the coop as well.
All totaled I provided 4 rides to 3 chickens today. Perhaps that qualifies me as a Junior Bucket Boy?
What do you make of the hens' sounds? I feel like the clucks are assessing & encouraging & staying in contact, and affirming "going to do something here, yup" and the long calls are expressing "but there's a problem to solve"? What do you think?
Thanks ByBob.
