#chickenyard

[drublood]

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#Chickenyard #peeppeep #unrulyfarm https://www.instagram.com/p/CBearE-l3zG/?igshid=12zna1car8v0m

[rootinspirations]

Securing the coop gate. #chickencoopbuilding #homesteadlife #rebar #chickenyard #henhouse (at South Valley, New Mexico)

[themoderndomestique]

Another one from the soggy farm yesterday. If you look closely to the top left you'll see two very round, fluffy chickens trying to stay warm and dry! 🐥🐔☔️ • • • #chickens #chickenyard #farmlife #womenwhofarm #aftertherain #muddy

[megadiversepiedmont]

Day 1 - The chickens are in the process of being relocated, from my father’s chicken yard to the one that we’ve built in my garden. There are currently twenty Rhode Island Reds inhabiting our new chicken house, with 200 square feet of chicken yard (to be expanded). Monday was the first day of training for Sweet Pea, designated chicken protector. Training lasted an hour. (read more) I started by enclosing her in the chicken house, to be on her own while I worked nearby. I was a bit forlorn – Sweet Pea was growing up, her functional role on the farm beginning, leaving puppyhood behind. Or so I thought…

Observing her chase a chicken or two, I wasn’t sure if she was trying to herd it, or play with it as she does grasshoppers. The more I watched, the wearier I became – it appeared she was isolating a chicken, to corner and pounce. This would not do.

I entered the chicken house and sat upon an up-turned bucket in order to get closer to the action. Even under my watch, Sweet Pea was unable to completely restrain herself. Every five minutes or so, she would approach the flustered but relatively calm chickens. Eyeing Sweet Pea from their perches, they possessed the sagacity to determine when this canine was about to pounce, and would preempt her actions by flapping their wings and making a fuss. I got in on the act, precluding further quarrels by uttering a new command, “Gentle, gentle.” And gently said at that.

So Sweet Pea’s first round of training lasted of an hour or less. There will be many more rounds, and I must play an active role. It remains too early yet for separation anxiety to take hold.

Day 2 – Sweet Pea, at 8 months, is still a puppy. She loves to play! This morning, I let her in with the chickens, and, once again, she saw fit to chase them. So much so, that three flew out. Finding them was like going on an Easter egg hunt. But with screaming chickens instead of eggs.

Even so, Sweet Pea behaved. She did not bite the chickens, but pinned them down as she does the cats. And so the learning continues…