The chickens of the Sunshine Motel!

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It's minus 5 here this morning, everyone gets a hot mash with scratch thrown in to help stay warm!
The littles have never had one before, and REALLY like it!
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I got home from the barn tonight, and as is my custom, did bedtime checks.
The birds have been confined because MY GOD there have been a lot of predators lately-- two different owls, at least two different foxes, a bobcat that has shown a lot of interest in my coop, a pair of BALD EAGLES, and hawks, hawks e v e r y w h e r e.
So anyways.
I go to do bed checks.
And I have only ten fluffy butts on the roosts.
I should have eleven. I ALWAYS have eleven.
But tonight? Only ten.
:eek:
A swift investigation shows the missing bird is Clara Oswin Oswald, this beauty.
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She is, OF COURSE, my favorite.
:hit
I search. I quickly find a hole between a calf hutch and the run, but no feathers-- it seems Clara may have slipped out this afternoon. I go through the bushes, check under the porch, and all around my house. No sign of an attack or feathers anywhere.
Finally, I call her, and am rewarded with her unique little trill.
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FROM UNDER THE COOP.
She wouldn't come out.

This is a small space, as you might see from the picture.
I am not a small person.

No, you don't understand, I am not a small person and it is zero out so I am bundled up like a freaking abominable snowman.
I don't fit under the coop. BUT, my darling Clara is under there, and she simply cannot stay where she is so guess what, I FIT UNDER THE COOP.
I managed to wedge my way under, then I have the trial of crawling backwards out of a tiny space I barely managed to crawl into going forwards!
I made it.
I got snow and dirt up my shirt and smacked my head on the floor, but I MADE IT and I carried my precious little angel baby back into the coop and got her safe and sound back where she belonged.

I am going to take a hot shower now.
 
I got home from the barn tonight, and as is my custom, did bedtime checks.
The birds have been confined because MY GOD there have been a lot of predators lately-- two different owls, at least two different foxes, a bobcat that has shown a lot of interest in my coop, a pair of BALD EAGLES, and hawks, hawks e v e r y w h e r e.
So anyways.
I go to do bed checks.
And I have only ten fluffy butts on the roosts.
I should have eleven. I ALWAYS have eleven.
But tonight? Only ten.
:eek:
A swift investigation shows the missing bird is Clara Oswin Oswald, this beauty.
View attachment 1640637
She is, OF COURSE, my favorite.
:hit
I search. I quickly find a hole between a calf hutch and the run, but no feathers-- it seems Clara may have slipped out this afternoon. I go through the bushes, check under the porch, and all around my house. No sign of an attack or feathers anywhere.
Finally, I call her, and am rewarded with her unique little trill.
View attachment 1640638
FROM UNDER THE COOP.
She wouldn't come out.

This is a small space, as you might see from the picture.
I am not a small person.

No, you don't understand, I am not a small person and it is zero out so I am bundled up like a freaking abominable snowman.
I don't fit under the coop. BUT, my darling Clara is under there, and she simply cannot stay where she is so guess what, I FIT UNDER THE COOP.
I managed to wedge my way under, then I have the trial of crawling backwards out of a tiny space I barely managed to crawl into going forwards!
I made it.
I got snow and dirt up my shirt and smacked my head on the floor, but I MADE IT and I carried my precious little angel baby back into the coop and got her safe and sound back where she belonged.

I am going to take a hot shower now.
Aaaawww... I love that! SO happy she answered!!... and that you fit!:ya.... what a good mama!!!!
 
I got home from the barn tonight, and as is my custom, did bedtime checks.
The birds have been confined because MY GOD there have been a lot of predators lately-- two different owls, at least two different foxes, a bobcat that has shown a lot of interest in my coop, a pair of BALD EAGLES, and hawks, hawks e v e r y w h e r e.
So anyways.
I go to do bed checks.
And I have only ten fluffy butts on the roosts.
I should have eleven. I ALWAYS have eleven.
But tonight? Only ten.
:eek:
A swift investigation shows the missing bird is Clara Oswin Oswald, this beauty.
View attachment 1640637
She is, OF COURSE, my favorite.
:hit
I search. I quickly find a hole between a calf hutch and the run, but no feathers-- it seems Clara may have slipped out this afternoon. I go through the bushes, check under the porch, and all around my house. No sign of an attack or feathers anywhere.
Finally, I call her, and am rewarded with her unique little trill.
View attachment 1640638
FROM UNDER THE COOP.
She wouldn't come out.

This is a small space, as you might see from the picture.
I am not a small person.

No, you don't understand, I am not a small person and it is zero out so I am bundled up like a freaking abominable snowman.
I don't fit under the coop. BUT, my darling Clara is under there, and she simply cannot stay where she is so guess what, I FIT UNDER THE COOP.
I managed to wedge my way under, then I have the trial of crawling backwards out of a tiny space I barely managed to crawl into going forwards!
I made it.
I got snow and dirt up my shirt and smacked my head on the floor, but I MADE IT and I carried my precious little angel baby back into the coop and got her safe and sound back where she belonged.

I am going to take a hot shower now.

You are such a good chicken owner, not only were you willing to wedge in there to save her, you have her trained to her to respond to her name. I tip my hat to you. My heart sank when you started your story Congratulations on finding her!

:clap:clap:clap
 
You are such a good chicken owner, not only were you willing to wedge in there to save her, you have her trained to her to respond to her name. I tip my hat to you. My heart sank when you started your story Congratulations on finding her!

:clap:clap:clap
I wouldn't call it training, I just have a voice I use to talk to the chickens when I bring them treats and things, and they all come running when they hear it! Clara is always the first to the scene, and is very very talkative!
 
I wouldn't call it training, I just have a voice I use to talk to the chickens when I bring them treats and things, and they all come running when they hear it! Clara is always the first to the scene, and is very very talkative!

That's training. Don't sell yourself short. Being consistent so they can associate a sound with an event that creates a response is training. You may not have set out to "train" them but you have. In this case it kept Clara safe. Great job!
 
Poor Nardole is getting beat up. It's not just his head either-- they have pecked a nasty wound on the base of his tail!
I brought him in to get him cleaned up and tended to. You have never seen anything sadder in your life!
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