the rest of the story…

If you read my previous post, you may have wondered whether “that stupid chicken” survived her night outside the coop and if you have, the answer is “YES!” She was walking all over the place this morning when we went out for chores. I was thankful, but not looking forward to wondering every day if she was still alive.

“that stupid chicken” hanging out in the back pasture

Then, when I let the chickens out of the coop this afternoon (I leave them in the coop for the first part of the day so that they lay their eggs in the laying boxes. I learned this the hard way when I let them out first thing in the morning and upon finding only a very few of the expected eggs in the laying boxes, had to play “Easter morning” and locate the various places they had chosen to lay them. Therefore, they stay in the coop until the laying is done.), that chicken went over to the corral where the chickens always go right after being let out of the coop. She was trying to rejoin her flock!

trying to rejoin the flock

However, Merlin had other ideas! I heard him scolding and squawking and I turned around to find him chasing her away from the group! She tried several times to get around him and he was quite firm that she was not going to rejoin them. I got the feeling that he was saying “You haven’t been willing to come under my authority, so you can just be out here on your own!” I was shocked, but it was quite obvious that he was meant whatever he was saying to her!

We had a busy day today, so I didn’t really have time to monitor the situation until it was time to go out and milk this evening. I didn’t see her around, so figured she was off by herself somewhere. And when I was finished milking, it was still light enough the chickens hadn’t gone into their coop yet, so I just headed to the house.

When I returned at dusk, I jokingly said to my guys “OK! I’m taking bets on how many chickens will be in the coop. Thirteen or Fourteen?” Jeff said thirteen and Micah said fourteen. The whole way out to the coop I was playing out different scenarios in my head.

However, when I went into the coop I was pleasantly surprised…no, shocked, actually, to find all fourteen chickens were in the coop, settled down in quiet contentedness on the roosting bars. Even more surprising was the fact that the “stupid” chicken was settled on the roosting bar just one chicken down from Merlin! It looked like his discipline had the desired effect! I was amazed…TOTALLY amazed!

Merlin is definitely a “hands on” overseer!

Merlin has amazed me from the very beginning. His intelligence is obvious and the innate understanding of his jobs here on the farm is quite impressive. But, this recent example of his wisdom in disciplining one of his girls, ostracizing her and then bringing her back into the fold just really was more than I ever imagined he was capable of! It makes me wonder if there shouldn’t be a “My Name is Merlin” Volume Two!

WANTED…CAPTURED!

I felt like posting a WANTED poster. Several days ago, Merlin disciplined a hen (not sure why…) and she refused to go back into the coop where he was. She was obviously afraid of him. She took up temporary housing in one of the cattle shelters and made the grain/mineral bin her nesting box. I had been feeding and watering her out there, hoping she had found some peace. I was kind of ok with that as long as she was safe and I could gather her egg-a-day. Then, yesterday morning, I couldn’t find her and realized I hadn’t seen her since the morning before when I had taken pictures of the cows in the other shelter…no eggs in her new laying place…and she wasn’t roosting where she had settled in. I figured something killed her, which made me sad.


Then this morning, as I was scanning the pasture, again, trying to find her…I spotted her!! She was over at the neighbors hanging out with his chickens who are in a coop and never get out. So, I coaxed her (well, I started coaxing her and she was playing hard to get…so I turned off the fence, climbed through and strongly encouraged her) to head back to our property where I had food and water waiting.

Once I had her back in the shelter, I realized she wasn’t going to stay there, so I cornered her, picked her up and put her in the empty broiler tractor sitting in the barnyard. I then provided food, water and even a perch/swing for her enjoyment. Ha! I don’t think she’s impressed.

But, at least for now, she is safe from predators, safe from Merlin and I am able to gather her egg-a-day, which is pretty important when you are only getting 3 eggs from 4 hens.

Moral of the story…YES! It’s a good life! Is it easy? Is it stress-free? The answer to these questions is a LOUD and resounding “NO!!” But, I do have some satisfaction knowing she is safe and I don’t have to worry about that anymore! Even checking off ONE WORRY from my list is well-worth the time and effort spent!

I do think Merlin knows what has transpired. He is aware of most of what goes on with the hens and seems to feel it his responsibility to take care of things concerning them. Maybe, he’s not happy that she is in a separate coop and not with him. Maybe, he’s happy he knows where she is. I don’t know, but I do know that by the look of him watching out of the door of their coop, he does know what has transpired! Bet he will have a thing or two to say to her from the outside when they are released from the coop later today! Wish I could speak “rooster/chicken”!

“Get the Cow Out of the Chicken Coop! ?????

Yep! You read that right! Just when I think I’ve seen everything, yesterday I looked out toward the pasture and at first my eyes couldn’t figure out what I was seeing. It was raining quite hard and my vision was obscured by the raindrops! THEN, I realized what I was seeing was a COW BEHIND sticking out of the CHICKEN COOP!!! So I yelled to Micah to come help me. I wasn’t sure how difficult it was going to be or exactly what I might have to do!

I ran out in my sandals and as I got closer to the chicken coop, I realized that it was Mocha’s behind that was sticking out of the chicken coop door, but what shocked and astounded me more is that Caramel was ALL THE WAY in the coop helping herself to the chicken feed! I yelled at them and pushed Mocha backwards out of the way. In the meantime, Caramel realizes she has been caught in the act and tries in vain to turn around but can’t! Then, Caramel started backing out!

After I got the girls out of the coop and chased them into the corral where they could be sequestered, I went back and checked on Merlin and the chickens and WOW!, Merlin was talking up a storm, telling me all about the ordeal they had just been through. Then I realized that Caramel had CLEANED OUT the chicken feed! I stood and talked calmly to Merlin and the chickens and told them I was so sorry that happened. I refilled their feed and left them to settle down. Can you imagine two “somethings” coming into your house that were 150 times your size? Just let that sink in for a moment! They were FUSSED!

Today, everyone seems to be settled down and I will know NOT to allow the cows near the open chicken door unless I have it secured so that they cannot get in…or, I will make a door from which ONLY chickens can come and go!

Too bad this little scenario happened AFTER Merlin’s book was finished! I bet it would have brought some smiles!

By the way…I apologize for no pictures of the incident! I was just concerned about flying out there and getting the situation handled!!!

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