What crazy lengths do you go to for your gals?

[Simmonsfunnyfrm]

Normally, I make it out before dark to lock all the ladies up for the night, but tonight I just did at 9:15 because I've been busy. I go out there to find that one of my Light Brahma pullets is missing. I was a little worried, but I had a good idea of where she was. Our shed is right next to the coop; in fact the coop and the shed share a wall. I just knew she was under the shed because that's where they like to go to beat the heat; sure enough, I found her all huddled up under there looking lost as a goose, but resigned to spending the night in her spot. I had just gotten all cleaned up and she wouldn't come out to me because it was dark, so I rolled up my sleeves and crawled under there amidst who knows what kind of creepy crawlies to grab her. She squawked indignantly as I dragged her out from under the shed and I'm sure the neighbors were listening lol! I carried her into the coop and sat her on the highest rung of the roost, which she seemed to appreciate since that's when she quit giving me the stink eye, and finally locked up. I am now dirty once again, and covered in stickers. But my ladies are happy! What crazy things do you do for your peeps?

 

[suleo]

I was out cleaning my run and coop and letting the ladies do a bit of free ranging. Had just finished. Enjoying watching them as they plucked away at things...only to have a fox chase my two ladies that had wandered a bit to far. All five ran/flew and what crazy thing did I do...I charged the fox! Saved my beautiful Beatrice (except a few tail feathers) but was probably a real dumb thing to do! I spoil my ladies totally!. On these last few days of extraordinary hot days I take them out berries and strawberry hulls which I keep in a bowl in the refrigerator. In the process of freezing berries..so all the ones that look a bit off and hulls go to the girls. Nice cool treat for them when temps rise into the 90's. They live in a palace. I have spent so much money on my honeys. But it is worth every cent.

 

[Simmonsfunnyfrm]

I love to hear of other people spoiling their ladies! I don't have any other chicken fancying friends, so mostly they just laugh when they see me out sitting in the middle of them drinking my coffee lol! And good for you for chasing away that fox! I heard they can be aggressive, but they don't seem too scary to me. Seems like you could just give 'em a good kick if they got too close

 

[Aschenfire]

This could be considered spoiling or just common sense, but I just bought my birds a misting hose to attach to their run. The temps here in Texas are expected to be over 100 for all next week and likely much longer than that, so I thought they'd enjoy the mister.

 

[Simmonsfunnyfrm]

That's nice! I don't have one, but every time I use the water hose, I always spray a puddle on the ground for them to play and cool off in. I didn't think chickens liked water much, but mine are lovin' it in this blistering heat! The forecast is similar for AR too, next week.

 

[Aschenfire]

Mine like to hang out in the little mud puddle under the hose spigot..it drips a tiny bit and they drink nasty mud water, eat mud, stand in it... the Silkies seem to like it best... of course. Got to get those foot feathers nice and muddy

 

[gingerpeach22]

It's 80 F in Alaska (awful heat wave) and never gets dark now, so I made curtains from black felt and close them in the evening. At least it contrasts with the blazing sun at midnight. I pour bucket of water on floor of run and fill the water container with cooler water. I just bought ceramic eggs to use in nests when they begin to think about egg laying - really nice product found on eBay.
I actually shared an organic cabbage with them (maybe five bucks for a head, ugg) & put slices in hanging ball so they can be busy, busy while grabbing a piece. None of these things spoils chickens - we are their stewards & anything we can do to improve their lives or keep them from harm is up to us, right? Right!! We love 'em.

 

[pdx2phx]

We live in Phoenix, AZ so do a lot to beat the heat here.....we have one of those free-standing pool misters hooked to a hose on a timer, and an oscillating fan (also on a timer). They get to free-range all over our backyard all day, ensuring our patio and pool deck is poop-covered

. (I keep thinking....in our next place they will have a nice big run, and we will have a poop-free patio!)

We've also had to contend with numerous scorpion stings over the past few years, and have children's benadryl on hand at all times for the next sting treatment.... and have an indoor dog crate that becomes a 'hospital coop' when they get sick from a sting or something else....also have a humidifier for oxine (respiratory) treatments and new chicks.

The coup de gras was one of our original hens, a hearty NH, came down with a bad virus and we treated her indoors for more than 6 weeks....she beat the virus but was so weak that she completely lost her appetite and wouldn't eat. So we tube fed her enfamil 3-5x per day for about 2-3 weeks. That got a little crazy (and so were we, honestly), but I am happy to say she made a 100% recovery!! Her bright, totally stand-up comb that had shriveled and paled to nothing is back to full strength and she has re-gained her place in the pecking order.

I love spoiling our Ladies and wouldn't have it any other way!!

 

[Simmonsfunnyfrm]

What an amazing story! Your girls sure are lucky to have such a caring flock master I think it absolutely matters to them when we spend time with them.

 

[suleo]

Off to Ireland, Whales, London and Normandy France. Also Paris but in 4 years I have never seen a live chicken! Sure I'll see a lot of chickens. I will worry about my girls so say a prayer please. My husband will be taking care of them for 12 days. He likes them but has not had the responsibility of cleaning the coop and run daily,feeding them, cleaning (nest box) the coop in the morning so there are clean eggs, collecting eggs etc. I will miss my girl's but will talk to every chicken I see.