Hanging with the girls

I'm hanging with the girls again this week.  Just for a couple of days.  And by girls I mean hens.  Love those silly chickens.

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Those lucky birds now have a fenced-in yard.  They used to be able to just roam free, that is, when my girlfriend let them out, which was nice for the chickens, but not so nice for the people, who were constantly stepping in chicken poop and subsequently tracking it into the house.  It's just kind of...unavoidable.

Anyway, one of the girls likes to fly out of the fenced yard, and then she can't get back in.  Apparently, she panics and flies back out again if she is then let back into the enclosure.  I guess she's afraid she won't be able to find the opening back into the coop.  Old habits die hard, and this whole back door/fenced yard thing is less than 2 months old.  She's only happy if you let her in the front door.  Of the coop.  This family loves their chickens, but not that much!

So when I arrived bright and early Monday morning, this poor chicken was out.  She had probably been out all night, and probably a good portion of the day before as well.  Poor thing.  She saw me and ran over to me like, oh, thank God you're here, chicken lady!  When I got within a few steps, she squatted and did her little "pet me" thing, which is actually kind of rare, and totally adorable, and shows just how relieved she was to see me.  I let her back into the coop, by the front door, of course, and she cooed thankfully at me.

After that, I decided I needed to stop by again at sunset to make sure everyone was safe and settled and in the coop.  Wouldn't want that poor bird to have to survive out in the wild for a second night.  And I definitely wouldn't want to walk up to a scene of carnage if she didn't survive out in the wild.  When I arrived, however, all half-dozen of my bird-friends were in their yard, pecking away.  They all ran to greet me, through the back door into the coop, so I guess she found it.

I wonder if my wayward chicken friend has been cured of her wandering tendencies?  Time will tell...