The Old Folks Home

[Wisher1000]

Tonight, one of the new hens wouldn't stay in the coop. She would go in the pop door and then right back out over and over. The rest of her flock settled in on the roosts like they had been there their whole lives. This one little hen was outside pacing the fence at dusk and quite upset. I let her out to see where she wanted to go. She didn't know, bless her. She was afraid of me but more afraid of it getting dark. When I tried to herd her she would run in circles around my feet. I walked slowly to the people door and opened it for her. It was already dim inside and she didn't want to go in. She looked and looked in from outside then would run around my feet, again. I felt so sorry for her. I thought about netting her, but I didn't want to scare her even more. Finally, she made some distressed brawk brawk noises and her rooster started calling to her. She cocked her head and walked slowly into the coop, trusting his voice. It was so cute.

 

[Pozees]

Tonight, one of the new hens wouldn't stay in the coop. She would go in the pop door and then right back out over and over. The rest of her flock settled in on the roosts like they had been there their whole lives. This one little hen was outside pacing the fence at dusk and quite upset. I let her out to see where she wanted to go. She didn't know, bless her. She was afraid of me but more afraid of it getting dark. When I tried to herd her she would run in circles around my feet. I walked slowly to the people door and opened it for her. It was already dim inside and she didn't want to go in. She looked and looked in from outside then would run around my feet, again. I felt so sorry for her. I thought about netting her, but I didn't want to scare her even more. Finally, she made some distressed brawk brawk noises and her rooster started calling to her. She cocked her head and walked slowly into the coop, trusting his voice. It was so cute.

Love stories like this Thanks for sharing.

 

[chickadoodles]

Thanks Ron so do I.

 

[chickadoodles]

Tonight, one of the new hens wouldn't stay in the coop. She would go in the pop door and then right back out over and over. The rest of her flock settled in on the roosts like they had been there their whole lives. This one little hen was outside pacing the fence at dusk and quite upset. I let her out to see where she wanted to go. She didn't know, bless her. She was afraid of me but more afraid of it getting dark. When I tried to herd her she would run in circles around my feet. I walked slowly to the people door and opened it for her. It was already dim inside and she didn't want to go in. She looked and looked in from outside then would run around my feet, again. I felt so sorry for her. I thought about netting her, but I didn't want to scare her even more. Finally, she made some distressed brawk brawk noises and her rooster started calling to her. She cocked her head and walked slowly into the coop, trusting his voice. It was so cute.

Aww how sweet! Poor thing!

 

[Highcotton]

Wisher, you are such a good neighbor. It is hard to find neighbors like you.

 

[pickitfarm]

Tonight, one of the new hens wouldn't stay in the coop. She would go in the pop door and then right back out over and over. The rest of her flock settled in on the roosts like they had been there their whole lives. This one little hen was outside pacing the fence at dusk and quite upset. I let her out to see where she wanted to go. She didn't know, bless her. She was afraid of me but more afraid of it getting dark. When I tried to herd her she would run in circles around my feet. I walked slowly to the people door and opened it for her. It was already dim inside and she didn't want to go in. She looked and looked in from outside then would run around my feet, again. I felt so sorry for her. I thought about netting her, but I didn't want to scare her even more. Finally, she made some distressed brawk brawk noises and her rooster started calling to her. She cocked her head and walked slowly into the coop, trusting his voice. It was so cute.

Poor girl. That rooster knew what to do. When we took our Welsummer pullets and put them in with our older girls - their hatching brothers were getting tooooo aggressive - they were stressed even though it is the same coop with a door separating each side.

 

[Cynthia12]

Its been four years, come April!

Who ... me??! How could you tell? It wouldn't be that> ahem> join date right there underneath my avatar would it? My goodness, where does the time go? It doesn't feel like 4 years. I love this place.

 

[ronott1]

Who ... me??! How could you tell? It wouldn't be that> ahem> join date right there underneath my avatar would it? My goodness, where does the time go? It doesn't feel like 4 years. I love this place.

You will get a 4 year badge soon!

 

[tnspursfan09]

I have a 70 year old neighbor that I introduced to the joys of keeping chickens.  It started when I first moved here and went to my closest neighbors to introduce myself and offer eggs.  They loved them and would call when they ran out to see if they could get some more, offering to pay, but I never let them.  The husband is the one that built them a pen and bought the first hens he had.  They were aged BSL hens that were close to the end of their productive life, had lice, were wormy, and thin.     To make matters worse, he paid too much for them.  I helped him get them in good shape, then offered to grow out some younger birds for him.  He built me an auto-waterer and doors for my nest boxes.  That was several years ago, and the BSLs have since died, but his newer ones are beautiful and healthy.  He's a sweet man.

Late yesterday afternoon, he called to ask if I would find someone that wanted his chickens.  He has been suffering with back pain and lately it has been debilitating.  He needs surgery but no local doctors will attempt it.  The wife can't take care of him and the house and the yard and the garden and the dog and the chickens.  He knew that I had been getting rid of some of mine and asked if I would re-home his.  I went to his house last night and took his 8 hens and 1 rooster off the roost and put them in with my layer flock (no room for quarantine .)  I told them both that I would keep them until they found a doctor and have the surgery, then he can have them back.  I also told them that anytime they felt good and wanted to ride over to my place, they could visit with their chickens and bring treats if they wanted. 

I hate it for them, they are nice people.

ETA: I also offered to supply them with eggs, again. 

You, my dear lady, are a gem.

 

[tnspursfan09]

x2 wish my neighbor was as sweet.

I am so lucky in that regard. The neighbors who I share a fence with are the sweetest things. They always have something for Maddy, they love my chickens and get almost as much fun watching them as I do and are always sharing stuff from their garden with us. We talk over the fence nearly every day. The neighbor across the street has horses. She told us this week that if we ever needed hay that we were quite welcome to take all that we need from her stores...and she is a great source of fertilizer. When little Cricket first started crowing my fence neighbors (Rocky and Jean) got so tickled that they just had to get it on video to show their DD when she came to visit. The fact that I now have three roosters all trying to outcrow each other is, for them, a source of amusement, not annoyance. I love my neighbors!