Well, we climbed a steep learning curve with chickens - like don't let hens sleep in trees even if they really really want to because a raccoon will invited them for a midnight party and said hens will never return again - not even with lampshades on.
So, poor Bob (our Australorp rooster) has been pitifully hanging around the house and making mournful cooing sounds. I had arranged to buy hens from one person almost a month ago - then received an email saying they sold them! <insert nasty comments about that person here> Anyway, after searching the hot babe hen ads, I found one on Craigslist for FIVE Red Stars who were looking for a hunk of burning love. I negotiated with the people (sending a picture of Bob - of course picking one where his gut was sucked in) who agreed to sell us their hens.
We drove to Asheville, NC (hour and a half away) and picked up the hens. The boys (8 and 3) were thrilled to meet them (and to see the people's goats).
As soon as we carried the chickn-rabbit-hutch (with hens inside) to the coop and let Bob out, he went to the door and talked to the girls. He flew up on top of the coop and scratched there. We managed to get the rabbit-hutch inside the run, let the hens out, scoop the hens into the coop, and get the rabbit-hutch back out. Bob was pacing outside and showing off his manly physique.
The hens eventually came back out of the coop (well, we pulled the food back into the run - they were going after the feed like they were very hungry) and the smallest feisty one started flying up and pecking at Bob through the fence. I TOLD Bob not to use that lame pick-up line! So, we let Bob in so he could establish himself as boss. After he and feisty had it out, they all settled down and are happily hanging out in the run.
We will let everyone free range tomorrow afternoon and make SURE the hens go into the coop for the night. No late night parties for them!
So, poor Bob (our Australorp rooster) has been pitifully hanging around the house and making mournful cooing sounds. I had arranged to buy hens from one person almost a month ago - then received an email saying they sold them! <insert nasty comments about that person here> Anyway, after searching the hot babe hen ads, I found one on Craigslist for FIVE Red Stars who were looking for a hunk of burning love. I negotiated with the people (sending a picture of Bob - of course picking one where his gut was sucked in) who agreed to sell us their hens.
We drove to Asheville, NC (hour and a half away) and picked up the hens. The boys (8 and 3) were thrilled to meet them (and to see the people's goats).
As soon as we carried the chickn-rabbit-hutch (with hens inside) to the coop and let Bob out, he went to the door and talked to the girls. He flew up on top of the coop and scratched there. We managed to get the rabbit-hutch inside the run, let the hens out, scoop the hens into the coop, and get the rabbit-hutch back out. Bob was pacing outside and showing off his manly physique.
The hens eventually came back out of the coop (well, we pulled the food back into the run - they were going after the feed like they were very hungry) and the smallest feisty one started flying up and pecking at Bob through the fence. I TOLD Bob not to use that lame pick-up line! So, we let Bob in so he could establish himself as boss. After he and feisty had it out, they all settled down and are happily hanging out in the run.
We will let everyone free range tomorrow afternoon and make SURE the hens go into the coop for the night. No late night parties for them!
