Change of Address

Today I moved the chicken coop to the winter location. I wanted it on the south side of the house where it will be protected from north winds. The sun will shine on them here and the house will block the wind. It's close to the electrical outlet. I hooked up a 60 watt light bulb with reflective shield in the coop to keep them warm and to keep them laying. Chickens won't lay when they don't get enough light. I used my two wheeled dolly to move the coop and the run. I cleaned it out and laid down fresh bedding. I hooked up the light. I filled up their mash bucket. My chickens have mash available to them all the time. Yet they get all excited when they hear me move the metal bucket. I was kneeling on the ground with my upper torso inside the coop trying to hang the bucket back on the hook when they wanted to barge into the coop. My body blocked them. One enterprising chicken named Pamela who has NO social boundaries jumped on my back. My sweatshirt had pulled up a little leaving some bare skin showing. Pamela walked back and forth on my bare back while I struggled. I told her to get off me but she probably couldn't hear me very well because my head was inside the coop. The poultry massage was not a pleasant feeling but not painful either. I took a long, hot, soapy shower to get all the chicken germs off of me. When twilight came, I wondered if they would know where to go. I was in a hurry when I tried to get them into the coop because I had lemon bars in the oven. The four hens were on the east side of the house where the coop used to be walking around in circles and looking confused. I told them the house was over here now but did they listen? No, they did not. They did not appreciate being driven that way with a stick either. So I tried to think like a chicken. I went and unhooked the food bucket again and brought it over to the east side of the house. I set it down and let them eat a little bit before carrying it over to the coop. All four hens followed me at a trot. Meredith, Kelly, and Phyllis went into the coop to eat. Pamela got confused. She went to the wrong side of the coop, where there is no door, and paced back and forth. I told her I had to get back to my lemon bars but she didn't listen. I prodded her gently with a stick and she got all emotional and took off for the east side of the house again. She stayed there while I went inside to take care of my lemon bars. I came out later and she was under the deck. I opened the door to the coop so she could see her home and Meredith wanted to come out. I scolded Meredith and chased her into the run so I could hold the door open long enough for Pamela to come home to roost. I think it might take them a few days to get used to their new location. I hope they eat some of the many boxelder bugs there.