Last night I had to pick up my husband in Kallispell (long story there) -- overall a 6 hour drive. I had left my barn doors open (still fenced in) because it was hot and got back late. Both of us were concerned for the chickens, geese and turkeys. I keep the geese and turkeys in an outside run (with shelter) during the day and move half the chickens over to the geese and turkey pen for extra room. Unfortunately, I don't have a top on the 6 foot pen, but I do clip one side of everyone's wings to keep them in.
When I got home at 1 am, I turned on the lights and found that one of my brown leghorns was lying on top of the chicken pen (which has a top). She didn't move at all, which scared me, thinking she had been plucked out of the pen by a predator. No, she had fallen asleep and went into that stupor that chickens fall into when it's dark out. I picked her up and put her back in the pen.
We're going to be putting up the fencing around the barn's openings so we can leave it open at night.
When I got home at 1 am, I turned on the lights and found that one of my brown leghorns was lying on top of the chicken pen (which has a top). She didn't move at all, which scared me, thinking she had been plucked out of the pen by a predator. No, she had fallen asleep and went into that stupor that chickens fall into when it's dark out. I picked her up and put her back in the pen.
We're going to be putting up the fencing around the barn's openings so we can leave it open at night.
