Incarcerated

I know now why people start out with chicks. They are undeniably cute. With lots of handling, they make calm and docile chickens. You don't have to integrate adult chickens into an existing flock. They take that pecking order thing seriously.

The whole block had to endure days of chicken trash talk as the Wyandotte sisters staked their claim to the chateau and bailey. The ducks tried to make peace, but the Lakenvelders were no more receptive to their come-ons than the Wyandottes were. (But they did try; it was quite touching.)

The Lakenvelders took to the big buckeye tree shading the bailey to escape. The first night, we plucked them from their roosting branch and put them in the chateau. The next night they roosted a little higher so we used a ladder.

After that, they spent the night outdoors because they figured out how high the ladder would go, and roosted just a little higher. Responding to a frantic email, our pollero said they have to integrate into their new flock and take their lumps, so I built a little screened-in pen inside the bailey...they're all in it now. Somebody threw a tantrum this morning and got leaf litter and straw in their feed and water, which I changed when I got home from work, but like it or not, they're staying in there until they all work it out.

It should be a noisy weekend.