In which the chickens move out of the garden and into summer digs

Jim put the last wheel on Chicken Tractor II.

Finally, it's time for the girls to pack up their bikinis and sunscreen and move to the summer cabins!

CTII is much prettier than the old chicken tractor, but it weighs a ton. Jim installed a new "steerable" wheel system on it.

There's a nesting box on each end of CTII.

CTI is at the dock, waiting for passengers to embark. Generally, chickens don't like new stuff, and need to be coaxed, carried or coerced into their new quarters.
Chicken #12 is the exception to the rule about hens not liking new stuff. Twelve likes exploring the yard, and finding new places to lay her eggs, but we are hoping that CTII will keep her safely inside with the other hens.

Another Minerva, enroute to her summer home.

"No wants!"

"Oh hey. Der's FOOD in here. Dat's goood!"

Nesting boxes in CTI, lined with fresh hay, the chicken-keepers' equivalent of washing the sheets.

The last batch of eggs from the Winter Palace.

Chickens inside CTII. If you listen closely, you can hear Hawaiian music in the background (Da Coconut Wireless airs on our favorite radio station on Sunday afternoons.) It seems appropriate.



The End.

Comments

  1. I am getting chickens this summer, It's time for Operation StarClucks.

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  2. i love your new chicken tractor. it looks very practical. i hope the chickens appreciate it.

    i wanted to tell you i failed at rescuing a standardbred this week. i tried.

    i thought about it all weekend, how i'd quarantine the poor thing and try my best to give him a few good months before he had to die. cuz he didn't look so good when i met him.

    have you had this happen - the chance to rescue a horse, and it consumes you? it is not often it happens to me.

    the poor thing was obviously afraid of the guy who showed him to us, but he put his head right against my chest and licked my hand and clearly said "take me."

    his eyes were running, his nose was running, his pasterns were dropped, and the stall was so stinky i could not stand to be in it with him, although he offered me a hoof when i asked.

    his chestnut mane was gone, his face was crusty with dandruff, his feet had not seen a trim in ages, his coat was long from spending spring in a dark barn (so dark we could not see any horses in it when the door opened).

    trotting races ruined his legs, the old man said. no, i don't think so.

    i am trying to console myself - he has buddies nearby. he had food and water. he has children coming by for pony riding lessons.

    we were offered this horse by the barn owner, because the horse's owner was not an advocate for the horse. but when we asked the owner if we could offer free board and care, she said "he can't make it onto a trailer."

    wth.

    it's very sad and i hate feeling incapable of helping.

    ~lytha

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  3. Oh, Lytha, what a sad story :(

    Aarene, the CTII looks awesome. But it needs a better name! The Winter Palace still gives me the giggles. I'm glad there were no tragedies in it over the winter...

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  4. lytha, is there any way you could support the horse (feed, vet) at his current location in order to help him get strong enough for a trailer ride? I'm just heartsick.

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  5. aarene, the horse had enough food, he wasn't thin. therefore not technically even an abuse case, i suppose. he looked unhealthy and i knew it would be a big risk to bring him here. i had no idea he could not even walk well. i believe he needs to be put down - there is nothing a vet can do about his legs. i just wanted to give him one nice final summer, and get him out of that dark stinky barn.

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  6. lol! I was expecting the Minervas to be wearing grass skirts and sipping tropical drinks with umbrellas. lol!
    They are living the life. What great digs they have. :)


    ~Lisa

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