Freedom! My chickens excellent adventure out of the coup

[JedJackson]

I love your posts and the pictures. You should put all of this in book form and publish it. I know I'd buy!

 

[Suzi18]

Thanks for the update. Love to read your posts

 

[TominWa]

I love your posts and the pictures. You should put all of this in book form and publish it. I know I'd buy!

I don't know near enough about the mysterious chicken. Thank you.

 

[deepbluesea]

I love your posts! You write so well and you obviously have very happy hens. Good on ya!

 

[TominWa]

I can't believe its been so long since I quit being a jailer and turned into a chicken servant. Yes, instead of the chickens doing what I want them to do....it has sadly reversed.

Pretty much at sun up now they let me know "it's time to let us out!" One thing I have discovered is that the chicken language is much more extensive than any of us who had only kept them in the coop and run understand.

It isn't just give me treats talk. There is the "hey, whats cracking?" talk. The "I'm so bored, come play with me" talk. Every single action is communicated and passed around the flock for their input. I swear I understand every bit of it. They even have a talk for when the dog or cat comes lumbering over to hang with them. And hang out they all do.

The personalities have dramatically changed from locked in the coup dynamics.

Shy little nervous LuLu has worked herself up to number 3 in the flock now. Number 2 keeps a keen eye on Helga the number 1 and one slip up and ....well, it's not going to be pretty. Dorothy seems content to stay at the back of the pack. The other three just aren't into all the drama.

Still no issues with trying to escape the very escapable yard. They want to be with their family, and we are definitely all family now.

i am amazed at the intelligence in your average chicken if you just give them the opportunity to show it. Helga, the head chicken, is the only one who marches into the kitchen. She stands on the treat bucket while the other six line up at the door with only their heads sticking in like the three stooges waiting for her to do her thing.

Of course it works. Don't judge me.

I tried keeping them into the nice run that I made with a covered roof in the rain. I live in Western Wa. State, it rains all winter. No, they make such a racket that I let them out and they all run to an old kiddie swimming pool that leans against the back of the house. Why, I don't know. They just want to be free I guess.

It says a lot about the chicken though. What I have taken away from this experience is that your average chicken is much smarter than I thought, and much more interesting than I ever imagined.

Well, I hear the egg song coming from the back yard. Its time for the daily egg hunt. They know I'm coming and are getting ever so good at hiding them.

I'm smarter than they are and will find them! Most of the time.

 

[TominWa]

It's been a while since I updated my adventure into semi-urban free ranging. Wanted to see how the winter went. I started with seven chickens, and ended with seven fat fluffy chickens. I would say a success.

Now before going on, I want to state that all places are different and realize that. Some more rural and prone to predators. I am sort of in the middle. Edge of town, border county property. In city limits.

I have found no problems with the predator issue. They were very well trained to return to the fortress, that is their coup, at dusk. During the day, I just don't see the issue. Would it be possible to lose to a stray hawk? Probably. I weigh this against a collection of some of the happiest chickens on this earth.

Would I rather be locked up in a bare run and live a longer life? Or feel the freedom of my favorite dusting spot......the sun baking into my outstretched belly? Ifin it was me....I would go for the life they are having.

My fencing is no more than 3-4 feet surrounding the upper 1/4 acre. Just enough to keep stray dogs out. Not one has bothered to explore past it. They know what home is. Down below is bordered by high brush and a pond as a barrier. I didn't fence it other on the exposed side to discourage a stray dog. They don't want to stray that far from the coup to go past it.

I'm a year in with the chickens now and have learned a great deal. Most of all I have learned that chickens are much smarter that we give them credit for. If I was to try and lock them up again, there would be a riot. In the morning, if I don't let them out at first light, I don't let them see me, even peeking around the corner or I am told off.

If you have never been told off by your chickens, you won't like it.

LIVING WITH CHICKENS:

If you are doing something, they are doing it with you. They either pull you into their daily rhythm, or you pull them into yours. I haven't figured out the one or the other. I made the mistake of bringing out apple and veggies treats about 3pm every day. Good luck trying to stop that. They are like a bunch of thugs demanding tribute at the back door at 2:59 every day. One even figured out the doggie door. Sticking her head in and telling me "I'm waiting here!"

It is a bit of an easter egg hunt every day. I have found most of their secret spots. We play cat and mouse a lot on that. For the most part I am smarter than they are. Do not underestimate the trickieness of a chicken!

I can only try and ease the fears someone has about letting them out. I know we all worry. Probably goes back to the brooder days and that horrible day we take them from the 24/7 security out to the coup. Sure they will die horribly and freeze. Chirping "help me....help me" into the darkness.....as only a baby chicken can. Ok, ya, I brought them back in the first night, but I was a weak man. I'm much stronger now.

I can't imagine my back yard without them anymore. They are a part of things. The hardest working animals on this earth. I didn't even have to do much clearing to open up the bottom 1/4 acre. They did it for me. Looks real nice down there. Very manicured. Chickens require very little from us. What they really want is space. For those wanting to do it and wringing their hands with worry and dread.....trust your chickens.

This was my experience. If my chickens could type, I think they would echo my thoughts.