4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[docsquid]

It wasn't supposed to happen until tomorrow, but Megan got out while I was trying to fill the water bowl, so they had their first FR today. Fortunately it was close to dusk when they got out. DH had gone to get the staple gun so there were still huge gaps under the gates, but it didn't matter - they had a great time without trying to get out.

 

They checked out all my rather tired flower troughs and pots, nibbled lots of things they probably shouldn't like fuchsias, chilli plants and rosemary, and showed off just how well they can fly - wings may need to be clipped!

 

They also had a first encounter with Ozzy, one of our cats, which turned out to be much more scarey for Ozzy than the chickens - Blodwyn gave him the eye and after that he seemed to want to be quite a long way away from them

 

They didn't want to go to bed, and showed every sign of trying to roost on the roof of the Cube, so we had to tempt them back with a combination of chicky-treats and picking them up and putting them back in the run. Once in, they went straight to bed!

 

Blodwyn admiring the fuchsias

 

Gwennie showing she can get up on the Eglu with ease

 

Gwennie and Megan being nosey - looking into the kitchen from the top of the dustbin

 

The adventure ends - DH picks up a reluctant Gwennie and returns her to the run. I'm proud of him - he's never picked up a chicken before!

 

We then spent the next hour by torchlight filling in all the gaps under the gates with chicken wire.

Edited October 28, 2009 by Guest

[Chunky_Monkey]

Aw, they are lovely! They look like they love it!

 

Our cats are a scared of our lot as well. I think it's a cat thing

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Great photos . Very pretty girls .

 

(Why aren't we getting to see Mr Docsquid's face ? Is he shy ?)

[docsquid]

(Why aren't we getting to see Mr Docsquid's face ? Is he shy ?)

 

He doesn't like having his photo taken - but in this case I was so busy trying to get a quick picture of Gwennie before putting the camera down safely and helping him re-patriate the chickens that I simply had to snap what was in front of me!

[Space Chick]

Looks like they have had a fabulous day

[Chicken Shirl]

They look fantastic and right at home already.

[Plum]

Well done DH very brave. Great pictures of them.

[docsquid]

Thank you. You can see how dark it was when we finally got them back to bed. They were really enjoying it!

 

Tomorrows list of tasks now reads: block up final hole under fence, clip wings, fence off garlic bed, let chickens out

[chick wiggle]

Brilliant pictures, the girls look gorgeous and look like they had a lovely adventure My girls first freerange was more of an escape than a planned thing too, but they enjoyed it just as much as yours seem to have

[docsquid]

Please forgive me for one more chicky pic, but this is rather amusing. There is just something about little chicken bustles that is so funny. Megan and Gwennie foraging by our trailer. Megan has her legs crossed.

 

[chick wiggle]

Ohhhh, we love little fluffy chicken knickers - gorgeous!!

[CluckyBucks]

They look very adventurous and cuddly too

 

xx xx

[Plum]

Is she too busy to lay. Great picture

[docsquid]

Is she too busy to lay. Great picture

 

Thank you. They are all a bit young at the moment. Darren from Omlet said they were a fresh delivery and 18 weeks, so probably a few weeks before they lay. That said, Blodwyn was clucking a lot today and showing definite interest in going into the Cube around 11am-ish. She's never done that before. But I think her comb isn't red enough yet!

[docsquid]

There are more pictures of the girls on http://www.docsquid.com/chickens.htm

 

I think my favourite is this one

 

 

Does this not suggest that Gwennie is a bit of a minx?

[Chicken Shirl]

They are lovely Docsquid. I love it when they look up and are about to launch themselves into a tree the concentration is quite amazing. The first time my very first hen flew up on a wall we clipped her wing and regreted it later as she was only having a look around. We have never done it again and not one hen has ever tried to go beyond our boundries. Is this going to be a daily up date I do hope so if you have the time.

[docsquid]

Thank you

 

Is this going to be a daily up date I do hope so if you have the time.

 

I don't know, people must get fed up of looking at chicken photos eventually! I do love photography, it is one of my hobbies, and I only recently got a new camera, hence the flood of photos at the moment. I daresay the chickens will present me with many photo opportunities in future

[Chicken Shirl]

Thank you

 

Is this going to be a daily up date I do hope so if you have the time.

 

I don't know, people must get fed up of looking at chicken photos eventually! I do love photography, it is one of my hobbies, and I only recently got a new camera, hence the flood of photos at the moment. I daresay the chickens will present me with many photo opportunities in future

 

I promise you we never ever get fed up with looking at photo's of chickens. Keep them coming.

[cluckingmad]

Here here!! I think I'm in love with Gwennie - she just has the most beautiful little face! Can't even remember when my girls were that little, they all look a bit scraggily now, especially as Esme has become a bit of a feather plucker (que bumper biting this week-end)...

[docsquid]

Here here!! I think I'm in love with Gwennie - she just has the most beautiful little face! .

 

I have to confess I'm really taken with them all, but Gwennie, well, she is special. She has a lot of Character, and definite Opinions about things, but she'll always settle down for a little cuddle when you pick her up!

 

I just have to persuade DH that they should say in the garden for the winter and not go to the woods

[sadietoo]

Oh lovely pictures...aren't they fab?

 

Our cat is also very deferential to our chooks ..He often comes running in with his tail between his legs after a "chook based incident" to which the shout goes up in our house.."oh did those horrid chickens pull a nasty body at you Spikey??" Spikey of course pretends it was nothing of the sort and he was coming in at that time anyway, and has lots of urgent grooming requiring attention....Bless!!

 

Actually never was a cat more wrongly named..he really is the gentlest of souls, but was lumbered with his moniker by my (then) 11 year old...

[Fur 'n' Feathers]

Well,we were about to pack up when we saw your link 7 ....just had to look.Lovelly girls. A wonderful sight for our tired eyes.! They are so cute when this young and their combs look so small. Glad you are enjoying them

[Chicken Shirl]

Here here!! I think I'm in love with Gwennie - she just has the most beautiful little face! .

 

I have to confess I'm really taken with them all, but Gwennie, well, she is special. She has a lot of Character, and definite Opinions about things, but she'll always settle down for a little cuddle when you pick her up!

 

I just have to persuade DH that they should say in the garden for the winter and not go to the woods

 

 

He won't want them to go to the woods either if he's honest.

[chick wiggle]

I love Gwennie, shes gorgeous and oh what a poser for the camera, i say keep the photos coming! I know what you mean about over doing at the moment tho as i am doing weekly updates on my new babies and i worry people will get bored with them eventually However i suppose if they do then they will just stop looking So I for one say, keep the lovely piccies coming, i love seeing your chickens!

[docsquid]

I love Gwennie, shes gorgeous and oh what a poser for the camera, i say keep the photos coming!

 

She is lovely, isn't she!

 

Actually it is Megan who likes the camera the most. Whenever I squat down to chicken level to get a photo she comes right up to look into the lens. Most of the time she is too close to get a photo, and I don't want her pecking my new lens because it was expensive!

 

I love looking at photos of chickens too! So keep yours coming!