Chickens

 Yesterday with the help of a younger, stronger person I moved the coop to the winter HQ. Together we made some upgrades.  An expensive electric water bottle didn't work even though it was brand new so we went back to the rubber bucket method of watering. My pulley system of lifting the bucket of feet high so the chickens didn't soil their food didn't work so we suspended some other interesting things up there.  Actually I am not sure what is suspended up there. I haven't looked yet.  I used another watering dish to cover the food dish so they don't soil the food. The chickens have a fresh spot of prairie where they can stay until spring. They are parked on top of a big bergamot plant so we will see how that goes. I think the bergamot plant will look different in 2018 than it did in 2017. They got a boat load of fresh bedding so it is nice and cozy. A hole/skylight in the coop was repaired with duct tape in an attractive pattern. We even added holiday lights to the coop. Every time I look out the kitchen or bedroom or bathroom window to see the coop all decked out with holiday lights I can not suppress a chuckle. In the process of these chicken coop upgrades my friend thought it best to let the chickens have some freedom. I questioned that idea. Only Chickenson Caruso has been in and out of the coop long enough to know the ropes. But I agreed after he promised to help me round them up at the end of the day. We opened the door. The chickens weren't sure what to do except Chickenson Caruso.She knew the  drill.  She led the flock to freedom. All day they stayed close to the coop.At 5 p.m. we went to round up the girls. Within 5 minutes we had two chickens in the coop.  My friend felt confident we would get them all. I reminded him that panicked chickens are harder to catch. Within 10 minutes we had one in the coop.  Chickenson Caruso was loving the new bedding and had settled down comfortably. I went and found two ancient hockey sticks for my friend so he could guide the chickens in the direction he wanted them to go. I stood by and helped as best I could by singing songs about homesweethome. At 15 minutes we still had one in the coop.At 20 minutes we had two in the coop. At 30 minutes we had 2 in the coop.At 45 minutes of chasing chickens we had 2 in the coop. At 50 minutes we had 3 in the coop. I was surprised to see it was a cuckoo maran because I thought the Americaunas would be caught first. Now we had 3 chickens in the coop; one buff orpington, one cuckoo maran,and one Americauna.  I said I was cold and I was tired and I was hungry and would search for chickens for only 10 more minutes. Boy, we had some laughs today! What can a chicken owner do? I will set out some fresh food and water both inside the coop and outside the coop and see how it goes. I am not wandering around in the dark through the raspberry brambles and grape vines and spruce trees all night long. One would think a 3 pound bird would be easier to find! I still have half the flock so, in my opinion, the glass is half full.