As you know, we have been letting our chickens enjoy the weeds and bugs in our garden area. We put them out mid-morning and take them back in at dusk.
If they are there.
The first time it happened was while Michael and the boys were camping. I had put the chickens out in the garden in the morning. I left the coop door open to make it easier to herd them back inside when it was time.I went inside to do some cooking. I went out in the afternoon to check on them and I was missing one chicken. It was an Ameraucana and I was really worried that a bird of prey plucked her up from the garden. They are the chickens that lay the green eggs, which I really like, so I was sad about that and the thought of my poor chicken being snatched by some big bird.
I continued to look, praying that I would find her, all along thinking, “How am I going to explain this to my guys?” I decided to check in the coop and there she was. In a nesting box lying on an egg. Phew! I was relieved. The only thing that I could figure was that she flew over the gate and went back to the coop to lay her egg. “What a good hen” I thought.
The next day was the same thing. Chickens out in the morning and check them in the afternoon. This time THREE of them were gone. An Ameraucana and two Australorps. I headed to the coop. There they were. Three more eggs.
That night I was a little late in getting out to take all twelve chickens to the coop. Not very late, it was still plenty light out. They were ALL GONE! I looked toward the coop and there they were, either in the coop or outside eating bugs and grass. Apparently they know when they want to go home.
Here is the gate they fly over to get to the coop.
It actually doesn’t bother me. I would rather they lay eggs in the coop where they are safe and easy to find than in the garden where they can easily be lost or smashed. All, except the broody one, come back to the gate and wait to be let in. I’m not sure why they don’t just fly over but they don’t. I go out and pick them up and toss them over.
One chicken, however, doesn’t go to the coop. She goes to the pile of fruit tree limbs that are drying out so we can burn them.
She finds her spot and makes herself comfortable.
She has never laid and egg there so I’m really not sure what she is doing.
Who knew chickens were so interesting? Probably other chicken owners.
Toodles from the farm,
Karen
Hi Karen,
You know the seven foot posts (I think they are seven, the tall ones) that you can buy at a supply store? We have doubled those. I mean, one post is planted in the ground and the other is wired to the first post to extend the height of the fence. The total height of our pen fence is around ten feet I’d say. (The posts are overlapping where they are tethered).
Some of our chickens can fly over. I’ve seen them do it. The most athletic chickens that can fly that high are the Leghorns and Tetra Tints. Australorps are second most athletic in my flock. But they fatten up with age and loose their ability to fly high. The Reds, NH Red, RI Red, and Golden Comets don’t fly that high. But they are still capable of some incredible gymnastics.
My chickens stay in the pen only during that dangerous transition time between sunset and dusk. I can call them into the coop. They follow me like trained AKC puppies. The only reason they have the pen is to give them a bit more light and fresh air in the evenings, and a more gentle transition from free range day to a locked up night. They like the routine. I do too.
Our chickens fly so well that I have to dodge to avoid air traffic collisions. When I step out of the house, all chickens gather around me. Not because they love me so much, but because they see me a source of food. And it’s not because they are hungry. Their crops are full at all times. If I call them though, they fly to me. And that’s when it gets dangerous 🙂 . They can literally smash into my face or chest as they have a hard time making a sharp turn in the air. They are not very good pilots.
In the last two years, we’ve been clipping one wing on each chicken to restrict that freedom of flying high. But we are not going to do it any longer. They are free-ranging anyways. When they have both wings intact, they are more maneuverable and they can escape predators more effectively.
I know this turned into a long comment, but I just wanted to say one more thing. We had a large dinner party recently with a lot of leftover kitchen scraps. I fed all of it at once to the chickens. Their crops looked like football balls. They were enormous. The chickens were so front heavy that they couldn’t fly up their roosts for the night. I had to build them a ladder 🙂 . It was hilarious.
Kimberly
Our neighbor offered to show us how to clip their wings but we decided we didn’t want to do it. They can escape from a predator if they can fly a little.
Yes, I love it when they run to me whenever I walk towards them…..reminds me of when my boys were little….I feel bad though because most of the time I don”t have anything for them. I’m just walking through.
Wow, that would really hurt having chickens fly into you! Sounds like you have a great set up.
A doeling and a buckling. Born at 1:30 a.m. Both a good weight but the buck, who was first, was very week and got cold. Shivering and no suck reflex. Finally about 4:00 a.m. we were able to get him to nurse. Only after trying a lot of things and multiple phone calls to our friend Jo at MisFit Farms. I’ll create the post sometime this weekend.
I’m tired and still cold.
Karen
Oh my, what a night! Sounds like you brought the baby buck back to life safely. Congratulations on Brown Sugar’s success! And your success! I bet all of you must feel very relieved today.
Somehow, I feel cold when I am physically tired as well. I wonder though, are you going to snuggle up under a warm blanket and rest today? Hm. I think you will be checking on the mama and the kids all day long. It’s just one of those things.
You will get some rest soon. Promise. Probably not today though.
I am so happy for you and for Brown Sugar.
We cannot find a goat. It’s been like a curse. Only bucks on Craigslist and our friend farmers don’t have does. We’ve been looking for such a long time to buy goats at no avail! We have no goats and no promise for them in the near future. I almost feel, I’ll be giving up this spring. Oh, but don’t feel bad about it please. What you have is a blessing.
A goat farm with little kids and, hopefully, fresh goat milk on the way. What a blessing!
Oh, and don’t feel bad when you don’t have treats when you come out and your chickens come to you. This is called “Variable Interval Positive Reinforcement Schedule.” It is the best way to train any animal (including us, humans) to perform at their (our) best.
Hope you can get some rest today.
Kimberly
I’m always cold. So is my mother. I think it is because we have pretty low blood pressure (non-educated guess). I’m running on two hours of sleep. I just couldn’t sleep when we finally got to be at 5:00 a.m. because I just couldn’t get warm (unusual since hubby is a major heat source)
Both kids are doing well. Our problem kid is nursing and walking nicely. It is a good thing.
In-laws are coming down for Easter so they will get to see them. My mom drove down today. Thought they were so cute.
Have a wonderful Easter,
Karen