Fraidy Chickens...

You've heard of "fraidy cats" I'm sure.  Ever heard of "fraidy chickens"?

Our chickens have been sequestered in their shed for waaaaaay too long now.  It's a self-imposed sequestration, and it needs to stop.  When the sun shines and it's not too cold, I do everything I can think of to get them outside...

I prop the shed door wide open...I put a couple of their feed tubs just outside the door to entice them...I toss ears of corn or veggie scraps (thanks Allen and Rosanne!) around for them to snack on...all to little or no avail.  Sigh...

This morning I was cleaning out the hutch calves' feed boxes, and I heard the chickens chattering as they watched me, safe under their porch.  I tossed the contents of my bucket over the fence, and they got quite excited!  But did they come running?  Of course not.

They tiptoed slowly along the path I've worn in the snow...

"Is it safe?"

"It's cold!"

"But I really want some of that feed and those alfalfa crumbs!"

(wasteful calves!  That's what happens when they're being weaned.  They don't clean everything up at first.)

A few of them made it to the fence, and happily feasted away.  It seemed like they were thrilled for the adventure...and for a change in their winter diet...

(If you click on the picture above, you'll be able to see another line of chickens bravely making their way along the path towards the feast.)

Temps have been rising here, and the snow is slowly shrinking away.  It's actually raining right now, with the temperature hovering right around freezing.  The rest of the week is to be warm, and we'll be looking at mud replacing the snow before long.

Spring must be on the way!