It is a really good point. I tried doing it today but I think I got the wrong call. Or maybe my accent isn’t good enough. They paid heed but didn’t run for cover.
@micstrachan any chance you could do one of your lovely videos with you making the sound and the chickens responding?
I need to learn to do this right.
I tend to think we should not practice this with our tribes unless we can provide a very good substitute for a real threat, one that they would believe is real. Chickens learn very quickly who among them is to be believed and who is not. They will pay no mind to the inexperienced hens and anyone known to "cry wolf." At least that's what I've read.
 
BREAKOUT!!!!!!

I briefly mentioned earlier that I was planning to let the Phyllistines into the big run today. They had other plans.

I had a late night last night and was sitting on the deck reading a little and drinking some coffee when I heard peeping that was much louder than it should have been. This concerned me greatly as they must have been in some distress in the coop for it to carry that well to me.

As I walked to The Hut my ears started to lead me away from the coop. Here is where I found them.


So that's a change in plans. Here the automated door, which I swear was set on manual, had opened after I had let Phyllis out and closed it. The ladies had decided to head off into the world.

The big girls had not seen them until Sylvie's spastic flight. I distracted the big girls with some walnuts but there is no distracting Sansa from fresh targets. She actually flushed them back to the complex and they roosted on the big cops steroids for a moment.

View attachment 2863319

I took advantage of that situation to close them into the full complex. I still need to shower, etc. They are now exporting the porch.

View attachment 2863320

I can't leave the complex locked up as Phyllis and Aurora are still laying and will need nest box access but since no one seems in a hurry to do so right now, I am going to leave it as is and get cleaned up.

I am of a mind to let them have the full yard and spend my day babysitting them. I don't feel like doing much else today anyway. This could be fun.
Just wonderful! Why all the distressed peeping do you think? Lost? Chilly? Missing Papa-Bob?
 
As you may have guessed I've been really worried about settling my little battery girls in with my 3 spoilt madame's. So i did the one at a time, with the two babies.

This morning I was in a mad dash so just separated them.
As I went out to add more food amber had jumped the gate too join in with the two little ones, with no problems at all. The next time I went out flexi was there as well.

So having an important appointment I had to just take a risk and leave them all together. They were all fine. I'm soooooo relieved :ya:woot


20211012_162910.jpg
 
As you may have guessed I've been really worried about settling my little battery girls in with my 3 spoilt madame's. So i did the one at a time, with the two babies.

This morning I was in a mad dash so just separated them.
As I went out to add more food amber had jumped the gate too join in with the two little ones, with no problems at all. The next time I went out flexi was there as well.

So having an important appointment I had to just take a risk and leave them all together. They were all fine. I'm soooooo relieved :ya:woot


View attachment 2863459
That is great news!
 
In the past, they've laid eggs in the doghouse (no eggs), Castor's house (no eggs), under spruce tree on the west side (no eggs), in the car port (found recent shell, no other eggs). they've never laid in the wood pile (checked), or under the Russian olives. now that the leaves are dropping/gone, checking under those regularly (no eggs). None have been poking around the lilacs row and they've not been doing much in the pea tree hedge either. I've been poking around the other bushes and not finding anything either. have several beds with either lava rock or pond pebbles across them..no eggs. if they're laying elsewhere, there's no real overhead cover and the magpies would have found and scattered the eggs. no evidence of that either. haven't seen them going off anywhere either except the horse paddock where there's no cover/protection from the horse hooves. it's possible, but doubtful.
Sounds you have covered everywhere. Congrats on them starting up!
 

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