May party?

Fewer chickens have come back each evening recently – whereas, a few weeks ago, they all followed me back when I went to shut up the run, now they have to be rounded up and some of them amble off to the shrubbery and don’t come back at all.  I’ve been planning how to get them back by not leaving food out in the run in the afternoon, because they come in to feed and go out again, but I arrived home a little later than intended yesterday, after 4 o’clock, and they’d already gone to roost.  So I felt rather sorry for those that had slept out. There were eight of them waiting outside when I went to feed them this morning, which made a full house altogether.

However, I’ve been thinking again and it doesn’t really matter if they decide to sleep out after all.  So I’m going to let them be.  I don’t want them to go to sleep hungry and they need plenty of food at this time of the year.  They laid four eggs yesterday, which is the most for weeks, so I’m very kindly disposed to them anyway.  And I’m not the argumentative sort and don’t feel I have to impose my will on them without good reason.  If we get snow, I daresay they’ll be back in quickly enough anyway.

Those who have replied to yesterday’s post have suggested not after mid-June and not early June, so it looks as if the end of May might be a possibility?  That would be Saturday 30th – or the Sunday, of course.  I could come forward another week to the bank holiday weekend, if everyone is free then – the first blog party was held on a Bank Holiday Monday, I remember.  I’m free any weekend anyway, at present.

9 comments on “May party?

  1. Blue Witch

    That would be fine.

    What is stopping the hens wanting to come home to roost?
    (eg red mite/mice/rats etc etc)
    IME of hen keeping (19 years) there is always something…

    Reply
      1. Blue Witch

        Hens, while quite endearing at times, are very dim and creatures of habit in the extreme mago. There will be something upsetting them. It’s just a case of working out what.

        Reply
    1. Z Post author

      No mites, not a sign. I can’t see that anything has changed, except that I wonder if it’s been draughty with the recent windy weather. It seems to me that the run is in a sheltered spot,but I don’t know if there’s a wind tunnel effect at all. Anyway, I have plans to remedy that, if it’s the case.
      I think Mago was joking, by the way.

      Reply
  2. sablonneuse

    As you know I can’t possibly leave home but am hoping you’ll find time to come here.

    As for chickens I’ve decided to leave mine with the choice. I used to tempt them into the bigger closed run with food at about 4 o’clock and close the door so they all had to sleep in the same house.
    Now I leave the doors to both houses open and they seem to have chosen to lay in one (no pooh) and sleep in the other (copious pooh to clean out every morning).
    I know it’s risky not to shut the door but now that it is getting light earlier they can get out before I go to feed them.

    Reply
    1. Z Post author

      Oh yes, I’d love to and will be in touch soon regarding dates. Thank you.
      We do have a fox about, on the field behind the house,but it seems to have enough rabbits and I haven’t been troubled. – or rather the chickens haven’t. The run is, or should be, fox proof, the wire is buried well down.

      Reply

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