Today is a 'nope' day.
My flock flees to the cool shade on hot, sunny summer days. They huddle in a corner on windy days, they hunker down UNDER the coop on rainy days. Most of all, they love cool somewhat cloudy days. But snow is a 'nope!'
Yesterday morning, as the sun rose, nary a snow flake had fallen so they wanted to come out for their warm breakfast, but they were clearly skittish. As I was about to leave to get the week's groceries purchased, Howard stopped by.
Howard is a kindly elderly man who loves to spend his days riding his bicycle around the neighborhood. He is retired from a career in the sciences and possesses a sharp and inquisitive mind. In out casual conversations, he's taught me some of the particulars of the optic structure of birds and insects and I have intimated to him the behaviors of chickens. Always a fascinating time spent talking to him.
But yesterday morning found me wanting to get the errands done before the first snowfall of the year made the roads slippery for my bald tires on my old car. Howard picked that moment to stop by and say hello.
I politely said hello in a genuinely cheery voice, but told him that I needed to make haste. I further stated that he was MORE THAN WELCOME to stick around for a while and visit the flock to his heart's content while I was out. He strode over to the run and the chickens immediately moved away. He asked about this and I was puzzled too, so I paused to go over as well before leaving.
The dark days and the longer confinement in the run are taking their toll ad the poor girls are a little more skittish of people from lack of contact, but it was more than that. Even Coq Au was not looking to engage but rather wanted to herd the girls away from danger. The coming snow storm, with its first flakes already flying, was making them all pensive.
I bid Howard a fair adieu and left him by the run to contemplate chicken behavior and I do so without a care in the world. Many a time I've driven up the street to see Howard paused at some other neighbor's yard with no one around as he lovingly pets any friendly neighbor dog that happens his way. Just knowing the nature of some people, taking the time to speak to them, listening to how they respond, or what questions they ask, you can just tell an animal lover.
With the errands run, I returned hope before the flakes gathered on the road surfaces and herself and I settled into a snow day. Around noon, I brought out warm treats to the flock, they were hunkered down under the coop so I took the time to sweep away some of the snow for them and they were grateful for some warm food. The whole flock wasn't out, as each girl had gone into lay, they decided to stay indoors after nature's task had been accomplished.
By late afternoon they had gone in and I was content to close them in for the night as the growing darkness settled over the snowy suburban landscape.
This morning, I brought out warm breakfast, but decided with the new fallen snow, they might appreciate it inside and I obliged.
This photo was taken about and hour after that and only a few moments ago. Not one hen will venture out. For all of the weather that they love, snow is a NOPE!
My flock flees to the cool shade on hot, sunny summer days. They huddle in a corner on windy days, they hunker down UNDER the coop on rainy days. Most of all, they love cool somewhat cloudy days. But snow is a 'nope!'
Yesterday morning, as the sun rose, nary a snow flake had fallen so they wanted to come out for their warm breakfast, but they were clearly skittish. As I was about to leave to get the week's groceries purchased, Howard stopped by.
Howard is a kindly elderly man who loves to spend his days riding his bicycle around the neighborhood. He is retired from a career in the sciences and possesses a sharp and inquisitive mind. In out casual conversations, he's taught me some of the particulars of the optic structure of birds and insects and I have intimated to him the behaviors of chickens. Always a fascinating time spent talking to him.
But yesterday morning found me wanting to get the errands done before the first snowfall of the year made the roads slippery for my bald tires on my old car. Howard picked that moment to stop by and say hello.
I politely said hello in a genuinely cheery voice, but told him that I needed to make haste. I further stated that he was MORE THAN WELCOME to stick around for a while and visit the flock to his heart's content while I was out. He strode over to the run and the chickens immediately moved away. He asked about this and I was puzzled too, so I paused to go over as well before leaving.
The dark days and the longer confinement in the run are taking their toll ad the poor girls are a little more skittish of people from lack of contact, but it was more than that. Even Coq Au was not looking to engage but rather wanted to herd the girls away from danger. The coming snow storm, with its first flakes already flying, was making them all pensive.
I bid Howard a fair adieu and left him by the run to contemplate chicken behavior and I do so without a care in the world. Many a time I've driven up the street to see Howard paused at some other neighbor's yard with no one around as he lovingly pets any friendly neighbor dog that happens his way. Just knowing the nature of some people, taking the time to speak to them, listening to how they respond, or what questions they ask, you can just tell an animal lover.
With the errands run, I returned hope before the flakes gathered on the road surfaces and herself and I settled into a snow day. Around noon, I brought out warm treats to the flock, they were hunkered down under the coop so I took the time to sweep away some of the snow for them and they were grateful for some warm food. The whole flock wasn't out, as each girl had gone into lay, they decided to stay indoors after nature's task had been accomplished.
By late afternoon they had gone in and I was content to close them in for the night as the growing darkness settled over the snowy suburban landscape.
This morning, I brought out warm breakfast, but decided with the new fallen snow, they might appreciate it inside and I obliged.
This photo was taken about and hour after that and only a few moments ago. Not one hen will venture out. For all of the weather that they love, snow is a NOPE!
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