The New Girls in Town

 I didn't want to stay with just three chickens so I contacted the person we got our girls from. She had some that she was willing to part with a couple of Amberlink hens that were a few months older than ours. Ed and I arranged to pick them up early Thursday morning. 

(I know I replaced one hen with two. I believe it's called 'chicken math'. In all seriousness I thought it would be less stressful if they had a 'friend' from their previous home. No idea if that is true or not.)

Now you can't just throw new chickens into an established flock unless you want some fireworks. The recommendation is that you slip them in at night when everyone is sleeping. Ed wanted to know why and I said "well chickens aren't super smart so when they wake up they are like 'oh hi' and forget that they are new."  

Of course that's wrong. The theory is that overnight they new chickens take on the smell of the coop and it helps to make them familiar. (I think I got that right). That left us the whole day to keep the chickens separated. I set up the empty stall for them with water and feed. The front of the stall is mostly barred with an opening at the door. I covered that with a horse blanket and figured that they would stay in there for the day. 

Where on earth are we? Somebody call the police

Ed and I checked on them throughout the morning and they seemed fine- eating, drinking and generally being chickens. That afternoon I was getting a glass of water at the sink and when I looked out the window I saw a white chicken walking down the driveway.  Shit. 

I threw on my rubber boots and quilted flannel shirt and grabbed some bread. My three girls came running to me when they saw me but the escaped chicken was more wary. I began to throw bread cooing here chick chicks. She was having none of it but did come close enough to grab a piece before taking off. 

I went to the shed to grab my old dressage whip to help me herd the escaped prisoner  chicken. This shed has hay and the chicken feed stored there. when I got there I saw the other chicken hiding in the hay. She tried to blend in and look innocent but, since she's not brown, I knew she wasn't one of my 'girls'. 

One thing at a time I thought; so I closed the shed door to lock her in, ignoring the squawk of protest. 

Using the dressage whip I herded the loose chicken to a spot where I could grab her. Just as I got her a delivery van showed up. The deliveryman looked at me - holding a chicken in one hand and a dressage whip in the other. his smile faltered a bit. 

Deliveryman: Um, I have a delivery for you. 

Me: (trying to look totally casual) yes, thanks. Just put it right there- (gestures with whip to spot to put box)

Chicken:  help. I've been kidnapped. Please rescue me, call the police. 

The deliveryman put the box down and left quickly. 

These are the things you don't think  of when you dream of your own farm. 

I put the chickens in the barn and shut up all the doors. This meant that the horses couldn't go into their stalls but that wasn't a big deal (Carmen: says you). 

The chickens spent the rest of the day with the run of the barn. 

I almost made it

I wonder if there's a window up here I can open

That night Ed and I tiptoed into the barn, found the sleeping chickens and snuck them into the coop. The next morning I got up early to open the coop into the run. I wanted the chickens to have a space to escape if there was a ruckus. 

So far it's been pretty quiet. My girls are ignoring the two new ones but there's been no fighting that I've seen.  

The first day the two new girls hid in the coop all day. 

Keeping watch 

Guinness and I were returning from a walk and I spied Beth on the nesting box outside peering in the window at one of the white chickens. They looked like they were playing peekaboo. It was hilarious but by the time I got close enough to take a photo she left. 

Now one is venturing out and one is still staying close to the coop. Which is fine. I see them eating by each other without squabbles. 

Nothing like a picnic of barley sprouts to bring chickens together

I expected egg production to drop but we've had 4-5 eggs per day since they arrived. Beth is exploring other home options- I think she thinks that's she's ready for her own place (I spied her in the hay shed today, no eggs though): 

Now I just need some names for the new girls.