The other day I was in the stall where the chickens are staying until I can get an electrified fence up around their yard and house.... they were a little alarmed at my raking the feathers and pooh up into piles. Plus it had stormed so badly that there was a damp/ wet area along the back wall that I wanted to get up too. There I was raking as quietly as I could.... they all moved out of the way - walking to the next corner and watching me closely. That was fine-after I had slid the stall door closed, I walked up the aisle to get the wheelbarrow to put it all in.
When I came back, you'd have thought I placed an atomic bomb in there or something worse. Omg- chickens scattered all over the place,almost screeching like mad. Obviously they were sure it was having them for a snack. They settled down some, and started moving from one side to the next, as I scooped up the little piles I had made...... Moved the scary wheelbarrow back into the aisle, and went back in to spread the now cleaned sawdust back out. I didn't realize that three of them had moved to another corner, and flicked a big rake full of sawdust on them. Well that caused havoc like I've not seen in chickens before. The 3 flew onto the other 4 and caused them to panic too. ( Poor Emmie- she's already traumatized from when I dropped their brooder on the tack room floor when they were peeps)
It all happened so fast, I didn't see it happen- but I ended up with a hen Outside the stall- in the barn aisle ! It was Lucy and she was Most amazed at being out there. Quickly I got the door open, and closed because the others were acting like they were all going to have heart attacks or worse. Lucy ( my only Rhode Island Red hen) was pacing back and forth, looking for a way back to her pals, and clucking in most dismayed sounds. I sat down and she came right up to me, and then walked off. Hmmmmmmmmmm- maybe this wasn't such a bad place After All..... So I followed her around a little , scooped her up in my arms and we went back into the stall together. Boy, was She glad to be back- and immediatly started telling the others of her great adventure.
It was so funny- and the Only thing I can think happened was that she got landed on, tried to fly out of the way and ended up going thru the little feeder hole in the wall ..... I felt SO bad at having scared them that much, but hey- ya gotta clean out pens sometimes.
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