Chicky Momma!

We keep our chickens enclosed in a very large 60'x120' fenced enclosure with a 6ft. tall fence. We want them to be as free range as possible but we don't want them to be fox bait! Well about a year ago one one of our Rhode Island Reds figured out how to escape! Well we told this escapee that she would be fox food if she didn't go back in at night. One day I was working in the barn and I heard a peep peep peep...what could that be and lo and behold there in one of the kidding pens was Momma Rhode Island Red and her new chicks!

Well Momma Red hatched several clutches of chicks and these chicks grew up! One is currently the second fiddle white rooster and the others grew up into nice hens...guess what these hens can do!

You guessed it! Fly over the fence and what are they doing...hatching clutches of eggs! Well thats all fine and dandy but in April we purchased 100 pullet chicks to replace the hens we had that had stopped laying...if we only had known! With the hens hatching their own that means we get the roosters as well. The roosters will start to fight and then we will have a mess...need to find an Amish farmer in search of chicken dinner!

Another problem is that they aren't protected by the fence because they like to hatch their clutch in a quiet spot in the barn! I have lost several new chicks to nocturnal creatures! I also have a problem feeding the new chicks and giving them water. If I don't fence the Momma and chicks off from the goats and sheep they usually end up eating the chicken feed!

Pictured above is my laborious efforts to keep the crew at the end of the hall, the goats and sheep, from eating the chicken feed.

Then I have to stop Momma black hen from knocking the waterer over, all the while wearing heavy gloves and holding a scoop in my hand to ward her off! She will fly at you if you get too close!

I have Julia hollering to me from outside the pen, Momma are you alright "Why did you scream!"

Its hot, the sheep and goats are hollering! I'm trying to help this chicken and she keeps attacking me! I wonder why on earth  I am doing this...they very well could end up as fox food!

I guess its because I love being a farmgirl. I love having a connection to my animals and being able to help them when they can't always help themselves. Some wouldn't go to such extreme lenghts, but I will know that I tried.