I got out there as soon as there was light on Monday morning and watered the plants in the cold frame. Then I loaded the truck with the pigtail posts and more poultry netting.
I started laying out materials, prepping for the setting up. My husband came out a while later and we had the pen up by 8:30, just as it started to get real hot.
There’s the chicken wire on step in posts on the inside, 50’ to a side. Over that is the circus tent I built on Sunday morning. Around the outside of the chicken wire is the electrified poultry netting. And around the outside of that are 3 strands of hot wire to keep the foxes out. Fort Knox for broilers!
Now it is built, it will be moved once a week, taking about 2 – 2½ hours to do.
Once we were done working on the pen, we let the little birds out for the first time. They are about 7 weeks old. Rooster was first out, just like he owned the place.
A couple of brave Barred Rock hens followed him.
A few more Barreds came out. The Australorps were checking it out from inside…
Then all the sudden, the rush was on! These have been the easiest to handle of all out flocks over the years. They were the fastest coming outside for the first time also.
Except for the Buff Orpingtons, who had no interest at all in coming outside.
It was a very hot day, the hottest yet, so they didn’t spend much time outside. The only shade is the coop.
Monday night my husband was easily able to “put them to bed” by himself. I think that might also be a first, for all the flocks we’ve had. He kept saying “Go to bed!” the whole time, and in a couple weeks he should be able to go out there and say “Go to bed!” and they will all go into the coop, except for the one who never does… There’s always one….