And back to chickens.
My hens have been sticking very close to their shed since the last of the leaves dropped in the woodsy part of the yard. Or maybe it is because the ground has been so cold.
Anyway, they haven't been out for a week, since we had a lit of company and were gone some. They were sooooo happy to go out yesterday. They trucked it over as far as they have ever gone. But toward the house. I don't really want them past the house in the front yard.
The first time they came too far, I shooed them back. They settled in beside the back of the house and scratched around the downspout. In the summer, I would have shooed them back from there too but the poops will have all winter to weather away so I left them.
When they finished there, maybe a half hour later, they headed past the house again. This time I didn't ket them see me. I stuck the black umbrella out the door and swung it around a couple of times.
That was pretty effective!!! In hindsight, I should have just stuck it out; not swung it around also.
Dual goal of keeping them back for the day (probably much longer) and, hopefully, teaching them to not assume everywhere is as safe as they've thought it was.
Downside to me, is they hung out in the walkway of the storage end of the shed instead to all the way outside. Now I have clean that.
I'm curious about how long it will take to get them outside again.
Edit to add: Lol. Not long. This morning, they checked the garden briefly, the downspout area for a few minutes, and headed around the house (other side from the umbrella door).
Chimera.
