- Oct 28, 2008
- 255
- 2
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I have had chickens now for 12 years... just more for pets and eggs... flock has grown and dwindled but holding steady at around 17 hens and 6 very active but friendly roosters. There are two other roosters in the mix but one is so low on the totem pole he does not come out and the other little guy is my oldest holding steady at 8 years old. I have lived in my current home for 5 years now... it is the ideal setting: new house on city lot with city utilities, family owned land (26 acres) directly bordering back of lot property and rest of neighbors lots on which sits my goat barn and goats and 2 coops. Now prior to moving to this home, I resided in the "country" and chickens were totally free range and would only come back to coop to lay and get locked up for night. That was the intention of the chickens now at new place. For several years it has been ideal... well now it seems that the several wooded acres and ravine in direct proximity of the coop (country acreage) has become boring and 4 of the hens and 2 of the roosters decided that the "city life" was by far more enticing... It is nothing for my neighbors to drive by in the allotment and see the chickens dust bathing or scratching around the flower beds in front of my house, sun bathing on my front porch, or sneaking in my garage to leave a convenient poop! Well tonight they decided to test the theory of "Why did the chicken cross the road?" And the little cluck clique ventured across the street to an empty corner lot. There they decided to scratch around and just prior to a rain shower bee-lined across the street causing a car to stop and wait for them to cross!!!!!!!!! GRRRRRRRRRRR! I hate to keep them locked up in a confined coop, however, these guys are really testing the city limits! I mean really, 26 acres is not enough to explore... woods, ravines, ponds, briar patches, etc?!?!?!?!?!?! I had a stern talk with them tonight when locking them up... just hope they listen!
