Post by Lannie on Nov 11, 2008 13:38:52 GMT -5
Night before last, one of our keets, who are now just over 3 months old, wouldn't come in the coop at sundown. He was sitting up on top of the coop when I went out to milk, so after we got everyone fed and situated and I started milking, I asked Rich to see if he could scare the little guy down off the roof and get him in the coop with everyone else. He scared him off the roof, alright, but instead of landing in the corral and going in the coop, the goofy bird flew all the way across the corral and into (or across) the garden. Rich lost sight of him as he was flying over the hedge on the near side of the garden.
It was getting dark, but I had to keep milking, so Rich went with a flashlight looking for the keet but never did find him, nor any tracks. The only thing we could figure was he went completely over the garden and into the "orchard" on the other side and landed in one of the trees. By the time I was finished milking, it was full dark, and we had to leave him. I was sure he would be a goner, being out all night in this cold, but yesterday morning, when I went out to do chores, there he was sitting on the roof of the chicken coop, very much alive. ;D Fortunately, it only bottomed out at 14 degrees. The night before was only 8!
I'm not sure if he spent the night in a pine tree and came back to the coop as soon as he could see, or if he came back after we left the evening before and spent the night on the coop roof, but I was glad to see him in any case. I opened up the door to the coop, and he finally went inside a couple of hours later, so I shut them in. They can still get out into the run, but not out of the run into the corral. So far, only that guinea and a couple of others, and one rooster, have even stepped a toe outside the coop since last Wednesday before noon when the blizzard started. I can't believe 29 birds are in that tiny little coop and they haven't killed each other yet. Normally, they just HAVE to get out or they step on each others' toes, so to speak, but I guess the cold has them agreeing to cohabitate for a while.
Anyway, I'm very happy I still have 7 guineas, and didn't lose that one little guy. ;D
~Lannie
It was getting dark, but I had to keep milking, so Rich went with a flashlight looking for the keet but never did find him, nor any tracks. The only thing we could figure was he went completely over the garden and into the "orchard" on the other side and landed in one of the trees. By the time I was finished milking, it was full dark, and we had to leave him. I was sure he would be a goner, being out all night in this cold, but yesterday morning, when I went out to do chores, there he was sitting on the roof of the chicken coop, very much alive. ;D Fortunately, it only bottomed out at 14 degrees. The night before was only 8!
I'm not sure if he spent the night in a pine tree and came back to the coop as soon as he could see, or if he came back after we left the evening before and spent the night on the coop roof, but I was glad to see him in any case. I opened up the door to the coop, and he finally went inside a couple of hours later, so I shut them in. They can still get out into the run, but not out of the run into the corral. So far, only that guinea and a couple of others, and one rooster, have even stepped a toe outside the coop since last Wednesday before noon when the blizzard started. I can't believe 29 birds are in that tiny little coop and they haven't killed each other yet. Normally, they just HAVE to get out or they step on each others' toes, so to speak, but I guess the cold has them agreeing to cohabitate for a while.
Anyway, I'm very happy I still have 7 guineas, and didn't lose that one little guy. ;D
~Lannie