CHAPTER 28- Out, darn intruders!!
Now, it was quite dark, and everyone was settled, so the humanlady just left everyone as is. She figured she would kick out the extras in the morning.
In the morning, the humanlady went out and watched for a short while. The biggest little rooster pleaded with her to please put the girls back where they belong. The two intruders wouldnt leave his side, and the ladies were very upset. The humanlady chased them down, and one of them happened to be the little marked girl, who was promptly locked in her coop.
After a while, the humanlady came to check eggs. The little marked one had not laid an egg in the little coop. There were 2 eggs there, but neither was from the marked one. When she checked the ladies coop, there were FIVE eggs in one of the nest boxes. The marked girl had laid her egg in the ladies pen.
Every day, the humanlady found 4 eggs in the Ladies coop. In the little ones coop, there were usually 2 eggs in the dishpan/nest box from the girls. The marked girl left the 3rd egg. Sometimes there were 2 eggs in the vestibule. Lately, though, there was only one egg in the vestibule. Someone was slacking, and it seemed like one girl had not yet ever laid an egg. But on this day, there ended up being nine eggs total. Someone is still slacking.
The biggest little rooster was very happy to have the girls in their own enclosure. He was thrilled that they anted to spend the night with him, but really didnt like upsetting his ladies. Now everything could get back to normal.
The humanlady was trying to put up the last of the siding. This was going on the Ladies coop. She had to loosen the fence, and even though it could have made a good escape, the biggest little rooster didnt go near. Those power tools hurt his big white ears.
The humanlady came into the run with something in her hands. Oh, it was a bowl! Bowl means treat! The Ladies were trying to decide whether to push past the humanlady and escape, or to see what she had. The biggest little rooster eyeballed the treat. He actually was thinking of jumping up, but he didnt like to jump. He used the excuse that it would be rude to take something forcefully.
Todays treat was sweet potatoes. The Ladies didnt really get overly excited for sweet potatoes, but the biggest little rooster made his come here and get this good stuff cluck, and they all ran over.
The humanlady told him that he was such a good little man, so wonderful to his Ladies.
The next two days, they were stuck inside the run because it was raining. The humanlady had made them a roosting pole, and put it under the covered area. The biggest little rooster spent most of his time up there and out of the rain. The Ladies did not seem to mind the rain, though. They were out scratching and digging. The biggest little rooster thought they might be a little weird.
In the other run, the little ones were spending most of their time inside their coop. The escapees didnt even try to escape. It was way too wet. The wind was blowing also, and they really didnt like the feel of wet feathers blowing.
The best part of the rain was the very special treat they all got. It was warm oatmeal, and it was certainly yummy and comforting. It was also quite messy. They were all laughing at each other with oatmeal stuck al over their beaks. To clean their beaks, they shook their heads, which got oatmeal all over them. The biggest little rooster was helping by eating the oatmeal off the ladies backs.
The rain was making everyone miserable, and luckily, it made dark come even earlier. The little ones happily went to bed, keeping an eye out the window, watching the rain and wind blow. They saw the humanlady bring the obnoxiously hairy creature out, and all of them squeezed together to be able to watch out the window. The little hairy creature was running around trying to get away from the raindrops. And they say chickens are dumb!
It was after dark when the humanlady came out to lock everyone up. She went into the ladies run, and her flashlight showed four ladies and a biggest little rooster all huddled up on the roost she had made outside for them. The wind had blown their little pop door closed.
The biggest little rooster was so glad to see the humanlady. She shined her flashlight so they could see the door, but no one wanted to move. She picked them up one at a time, and snuggled them close and tried to rub them dry a little with her coat. After a few minutes, the biggest little rooster was the only one out there. He was scooting back and forth on the roost, and hated to admit it, but he felt alone and scared out there in the dark without his ladies. Then the humanlady picked him up. He put up a little bit of a fuss because he wasnt sure what was happening.
He felt himself being squeezed through the pop door, and then it was closed behind him. The flashlight was off. He had a few seconds of panic. He was cold and wet, and even though he was safe in his coop now, it was very dark and he couldnt se his ladies.
The human door opened, and the flashlight was turned on. The humanlady said Dont you worry, my brave little man. I wouldnt leave you in the dark.
She patiently held the flashlight while he walked around trying to get up the courage to jump on the roost. For some reason, he didnt think to use the ramp. He ducked under the roost, then turned around and looked over it. When he stood tall he could actually see over the roost. It really was not above his head, but it seemed to confuse him. And when he actually got the courage to jump, his feet slipped as he landed. He miscalculated the distance, and ended up falling off.
The humanlady giggled at him, and was coming closer. Oh no! He couldnt let her put hi on the roost. That would be so totally embarrassing. He quickly jumped up and settled down. He wasnt even going to dare to attempt to jump on the higher roost.
He really hoped tomorrow would bring sunshine.