Welcome

To get started I want to thank you for dropping in. I am going to place the small and frequent updates that I like on this blog. We love chickens. Let's start there. OK, I admit that I love chickens more than most. I mean, why else would I have 3 cameras to keep an eye on them. Truth be told they are relaxing to watch and listen to. Don't get me wrong, they can be a hand full. Today I was playing ring around the coup house with one of our new flock members. Apparently we have a difference of opinion as to when bedtime is. This chicken thinks it is time to go to bed when it is done eating. (which is not the case.) I feel the chicken should go to bed when the rest of the flock starts toward the coup. This is where we disagree. I would like the chicken to spend more time grazing, it feels like it needs more time sleeping. Not sure who is right here. Since the chicken is new, I think it may want to get into the coup early to retain a spot on the nesting bars. I just need the chicken to become more with the flock. It will take time and patience. (mostly on my part mind you.)

So as I try and encourage the chicken to stay out and eat, it persistently tries to avoid me and make it's way to the coup. I have learned a trick for staying a couple steps ahead of chickens. Get a Dollar Store broom. It sounds silly but this broom will allow you to have about 4 feet of reach on your standard arm length. Let's face it, you are not going to outrun the chicken. They are fast, we are slow. With the broom you can easily move it in the chickens direction and it get's their attention. You don't have to even touch the chicken. To them it is a foreign object that us, the flock leader, is using against them. They do not know what to think. And if you do have to chase off a persistent chicken, it easily comes up behind them quickly and you would swear they think that they are dying, when in reality all you did was touch their bottom with plastic straws. But, they remember it.

Now when you even touch the broom their eyes light up and they know someone is in trouble. That coupled with the word "NO" will at times make the chicken freeze. Believe it or not, they know when they are in trouble. My older chickens know that broom time does not mean everyone is in trouble, but SOMEONE is in trouble. They see it coming and just watch to see who it is after. A lot of times I can just point the broom at a chicken from 10 feet and they know they are messing up. This is been a handy implement in the battle of the garden. It is almost impossible to try and get the chickens not to eat vegetables, but with training you can get them to know the boundaries of the yard AND the garden. Most people are amazed to see our Free Range chickens next to the garden not eating vegetables. It looks harmonious. But don't let them fool you, turn your back and they will clean it out like locusts.

Tip of the day: The Dollar Store white broom can help you tremendously. Think of the broom as enabling you to have 6 foot arms. Makes getting them back in the coup much easier. :-)