Friday, June 21, 2013

Feathered Friend Friday: The Escape Artist

Yesterday I was sitting at the computer when I heard David come in the back door. He said, "Look what I found running around in the garage." Before looking I asked, "Did you bring it inside the house?" because I was thinking it would be some kind of critter I didn't want in the house! He said yes and told me he was holding it, so I figured I'd go take a look.


One of Ellie's chicks escaped! We had been keeping them with Ellie in the brooder, but they've been really wanting to get out and run around a bit. Yesterday I let them out into the enclosed room their brooder is in and apparently one of the chicks found her way out somehow. But that was only the beginning of her antics.

Just before all hell broke loose.

David put her back in the run with Ellie and the other chicks and since it was getting close to dusk, I tried to round them all up to place in the brooder overnight. If you've never tried to corral five one-month old super fast chicks just let me tell you - they are nearly impossible to catch. Really, it could be an Olympic event. In my attempts to grab Feather Legs (the one who had escaped earlier), she somehow made her way out of the brooder room into the big run where all the chickens and guineas were. Uh oh. So I chased her around there for a while with no luck and was starting to get really frustrated and hot and sweaty (it was a very muggy 90 degrees). But that still was only the beginning of her antics.

As if it wasn't bad enough that I was running after a tiny chick in a big run, she managed to find a hole in the fence she could fit through and was sprinting through the open woods across the creek! Good lord, I just about lost it. After a few tense minutes, David and I somehow got her back through her escape hatch into the big run and chased her into an enclosed area where I was able to snatch her up. Phew. I put her in the brooder and shut the door. But I still had four more chicks to catch and Feather Legs got everyone riled up so much that one of her sisters decided she'd escape into the big run as well, just to test me I'm sure.

I managed to outsmart this one quicker than Feather Legs, so I caught her and returned her to the brooder. I was able to grab the other chicks fairly easily (in comparison) and locked everyone up along with Ellie for the night. Needless to say, they are not coming out of that brooder until they are much bigger.

~Tammy, chicken wrangler extraordinaire

50 comments:

  1. laughing, but i can feel your exhaustion and frustration, too1

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  2. Hilarious and super frustrating I know. We had something similar happen here a few weeks ago. Glad you got them all scooped up and safe. Go wrangler go!

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  3. Ha ha - I am laughing out loud. Partly because the same has happened to me and partly because you describe it so perfectly. :) We ended up overlapping the wire on the outdoor coop with another layer,offset slightly, so they couldn't get out. We only had to put one strand of it around, just as tall as them.

    I guess she thought you needed a work-out!!

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  4. Glad you were able to capture the wily Feather Legs! Despite your frustrations, the mental picture of you chasing the chicks around made me smile. Have a great weekend.

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  5. You need to get you one of those long handled butterfly nets.

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  6. Ha ha! Is that a Barred Rock? They're VERY naughty, I have one! :D

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  7. Tammy, you would make a great wrangler! I had to laugh at the sight of you running around after these chicks! Cute chick and shot of your hubby! Have a great weekend!

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  8. Too funny. If someone had been filming you, you may just have won the grand prize on America's Funniest Home Videos when you were chasing the chicks :)

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  9. Oh I love your chickens. We just moved to my honey man's 10 acres he grew up on. It had been abandoned for years. Once we get better settled we are getting chickens too. I have chicken envy.

    Hugs,

    Valerie
    Cottage Making Mommy
    www.lovingmyheartandhome.blogspot.com

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  10. Tammy you are just the cutest chicken tender around ... oh hmm somehow "chicken tender" sounds a bit McDonaldish ...well you know what I mean ... you are such a wonderful cute caring chicken keeper! Lol
    And if you don't mind me saying so ... your husband has magnificent blue eyes.

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  11. Lol I have soooo been there. Glad it all worked out!

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  12. Sounds like you need a long handled fish net hanging within arms reach of the chicken house!! At least you can say you got your exercise in for the day :-}}

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  13. frustrating and funny!lol!
    glad it all worked out!

    have a great weekend!
    xoxo

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  14. Frustratingly funny! Now all you need is an itty bitty lasso!

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  15. I can so relate Tammy -- I decided to let the turkey poults out yesterday and it took me forever to gather them up to go back inside. It's been too hot to leave them in the coop.

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  16. She's a Houdini with feathers :) such an adorable story! Hopefully there's no sequel LOL.

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  17. Whew! Last Summer one of the chicks from next door got into our yard...it took forever to catch it...meanwhile the Momma was going crazy on the other side of the fence!They are tiny and fast!! So glad you got everyone safe and sound!! have a great weekend!!

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  18. Hahaha....I can see you just about have your hands on her and she finds the hole that leads to outside...and....hahahaha....(holding my side)...heeeheee.....I can just see your face......and I only laugh because she is back safe and sound. I know how you feel....I'm laughing WITH you not AT you.....;) giggle

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  19. Haaaaa! Serious cuteness! Nothing more fun than runaway chicks!

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  20. ...and no one was around to get a video? I'm disappointed!

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  21. Ahh, I thought she looked pure BR but her name threw me a bit :)
    She is so lovely x

    I've lost a couple of comments on that thread, so it's quite possible you did post one.
    Very annoying :(

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  22. And Pet Shaming, it's just hilarious isn't it :D xx

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  23. It's always something on a farm!

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  24. Tammy, I can just imagine that scene in my head....To funny! You can always use "chicken Wranglering" as your exercise routine each day...:) Never a dull moment on a farm.. Blessings and enjoy!

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  25. :) Oh, the fun!

    This reminded me of one summer when we got piglets late, in July, and they were tinier than all the years we'd gotten piglets before. These ones were just weened off their mother the day we picked them up - and when we put them in the pen, they shot out through the squares in the fencing wire!! Hottest day in July, with all the woods full of thick, lush undergrowth, and hundreds of dollars worth of piglets off like shooting bullets! (there is very little to grab on a piglet to try to catch it.. those little legs and tiny hooves kick FAST!) What a sight we must've been. I resorted to using a fishing net - and it worked. Those five little pigs had to go in the chicken run until they were large enough to no longer fit through standard fencing.

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  26. I am sorry Tammy I am laughing I know it may not have been funny at the time but it sure is funny now. Bad chicken bad chicken:) B

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  27. What an ordeal! Can't you just lure them with food? Works for most critters I know, even human!

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  28. Way to go Chicken Wrangler! Glad you all ended up safe and sound!

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  29. Ha, I love your new nickname!

    Your husband has gorgeous blue eyes!! I bet you already are aware of that though. :) Glad you got your little ones back. :)

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  30. Wanted: One chicken wrangler. Must be a team player, speedy, agile and not easily distracted by handsome strangers with blue eyes. Experience in basic chicken psychology an asset, but not necessary. On the job training available. :-D

    Have a super weekend, Tammy!

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  31. Where's the video when you need it?!

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  32. I am laughing just picturing this escapade! I'm sure my neigbors laugh at me if they were tomsee me trying to my theee chickies in the coop if we are leaving before they put themselves in at night. I'm sure itnis hilarious!

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  33. Great golly, Feather Legs! Slow it down!

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  34. I can imagine how frantic you were, especially when she was sprinting across the creek! A nice happy ending, Whew! xo

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  35. Oh my goodness Tammy, I literally have tears running from my eyes as I am typing this!!! I hope you gave her a thorough lecture when you got her back in the brooder. How funny! You Chicken Wrangler you! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!

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  36. I'm laughing too Tammy! Chicken wrangling should be an Olympic event-and you are, in my opinion, a gold medalist! ;)

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  37. Oh my Goodness glad you managed to catch up with her..funny but not funny.
    Well done hope she behaves herself .

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  38. Lol, oh my Tammy! Chicken wrangler for sure! This post had me laughing out loud! I'm glad you were able to get everyone back in and safe for the night. I hope this doesn't happen again and that Feather Legs behaves!

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  39. hahaha It all sounds so funny now but I know it wasn't when it was happening. I'm glad you got her!

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  40. Hi Tammy,

    I haven't read through your comments and somebody probably has already suggested this but get a long handled fish net. It makes catching chickens so much easier!

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  41. Oh no! What cheeky little ones. Glad you got to them all.

    PS: It's giveaway time on my blog! Hope you join: http://www.underlockandkeyblog.com/2013/06/angelorian-tradition-giveaway.html

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  42. I am sure it was no laughing matter at the time, but now that she is safely enclosed, reading about your wrangling certainly was funny!

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  43. Thanks for the visual. Definitely got my smile for the day. :)

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  44. you've got yourself a runner! lol
    i loved the visual. i'm glad they are safe. i hope you had yourself a big glass of wine after that. ;)

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  45. love the story because I have been there myself. but the new title - AWESOME!

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  46. Oh, what a cute story and wonderful photos.

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  47. Oh my goodness! What entertaining antics! Love the story and the pictures.

    Wishing you a lovely day (hopefully escape free... LOL).
    xoxo

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  48. chicken wrangling - now there's a sport! I had fun watching people try to catch lambs on the run not so long ago - without dogs - hilarious.

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