The Not So Great Chicken Escape

So, who hasn't been out this week?

I think I mentioned last week something about us having a little trouble with goat containment - I was so tired on Sunday evening that I just didn't have the energy to tell about it, so that was going to be the subject of the blog this week.  The short version is that Ranger had removed himself from the goat pasture repeatedly and this unfortunate behavior continued on into this past week.  Mostly he was out alone but sometimes he had Forest along as a partner in crime.  No amount of shoring up of the fence would keep him in so the lads are now back to a smaller paddock made of sturdy fence panels.  End of their story for this week.

Kevin uses that tractor to pull a pasture shelter the a new area for the lads

Now I will share a little text conversation between Kevin and me.  I was at work, he had arrived home  on Wednesday afternoon. As an editorial note, I will add that since Kevin has a smartphone, he just types out his texts conversational style.  I have a caveman/flip phone (by choice) so I do abbreviate when in a hurry.

Kevin:  Did you meant to let the chickens out?
Me:  Didnt i?  g00d grf   pleze d0 p00r things!   (So I am thinking I forgot to let them out and they had been shut in all day)
Kevin:  No I mean we have free range chickens all over
Me:  oh dear   which? (meaning which group - the pullets from the winter coop, or the hens in the summer coop).
Kevin:  Both
Me:  No way
Kevin: Yep, and I think they are mixing
Me:  no way i did that
Me:  (in denial at this point) Obviously we have had a prankster...  they didnt let dogs 0r pigs 0r g0ats 0ut? (pretty long text for my caveman phone...)

So apparently I left BOTH of the gates open that morning.  In my own defense, it was 5:00 a.m.

It didn't turn out to be much of a problem anyway.  I keep them fenced in for their own protection and to keep them out of the garden.  The hens have been turned into the garden for the past week anyway.

some of the pullets cleaned up some spilled grain in the pole barn

and these greeted me when I got home

When evening came, they all sorted themselves out and returned to the correct coops. Everyone was accounted for.

The turkeys were out too - but that has become pretty common.

Clothesline helpers on Saturday morning

This has been the most glorious weekend.  Just beautiful weather.  I took this picture of the woods to the south across the new winter wheat field.  We both had plenty to do of course but made time to visit the local orchard today for some really awesome apples (Sweet Tangos -yum!)and to visit with our farmer friends who are vending there.  It was a great day... until the pigs got out...

Enough of that.  Be well