Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Free-Ranging Here we Come!

All of the big flock went into the coop to roost after their accidental free-ranging, so we are going to be free-ranging everyday again!

They're lose!

All of the big flock got lose today, so I opened up their run in the hopes that they go back in on their own tonight. I'll hopefully get a chance to post tonight to tell you what happens.

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Runs and Runaways

Yesterday we had an incident, when I got home the BA/EE hen was out of the run and running around and with no hope of catching her and no time, I let her enjoy her time out and about. Why didn't I have the time to catch her? Well honestly because I had to go Christmas shopping, because I had almost nothing bought. So after shopping we got home after dark and I went looking for her.

First I checked the coop just in case she had gotten back in, which she hadn't then I moved on to searching the trees. Only to find that she was roosting in the tree next to the old coop, were I had had problems with them roosting before the move. So I pulled the tree branch down a bit, grabbed her legs and pulled her out of the tree and back into the coop.

So today with not being quite sure how she escaped I replaced the big flocks run with taller fencing which had been formally part of the two dog runs before they where partly ripped apart (some left behind) to make room for my old coop and then where being used as garden fencing. Unfortunately this decreases their run size, but it should keep them in.

Then I took the big flocks old run fencing and made a run for the cochins and Kernel.
  Which all of the cochins checked out and had some run eating grass. Kernel hasn't figured it out and he may not with his eyes, but the girls will enjoy it. Hopeful next spring I will get around to real runs and some time this winter the big flock will be free-ranging. And to finish off this post her are some pictures of the flocks!
 I apologize for the mess these guys side of the coop is they keep dumping water (working on solving this) so I need to clean out all the wet bedding, plus they are right under their roosts.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Temporary Run

The main flock enjoying their new temporary run yesterday, which is made from some of the gardens fencing and post. The plan is to keep them in this run for a week or so and then try to start free-ranging.