Final notice eviction

Today was transplant day in the greenhouse, so the chickens were officially OUT.  They took it pretty well.  I expected sad puppy at the door behaviour, but they have spent enough time in transition that they were pretty content outdoors.

However, the forecasted 1mm of rain was a bit more than that, and earlier, so just like last year, transplant/eviction day was a big rain day (complete with  thunder).

So I spent the morning running around hastily throwing up rain and wind shelters for these birds that haven’t seen the elements in months to hide under.   The big birds are all just fine in rain, but Silkies don’t fare so well when they get wet, the little hair chickens. After this hasty contriving I got the three fowl weather hen tents out of mothball and repaired them and put them back in action too.  They are quite effective.  Just as attractive. 

Nailed that tent city esthetic.

I even put the converted chickery in the mix, and they loved investigating that (finally! we get to see inside!), but didn’t shelter in it. 

The stock tank hay bale cave was a hit.

The rain came and went, and as it let up, the hens would disperse into the grass and surroundings, and then the rain would start drumming down again and all at once, you’d see them on the run, (even the guineas) legging it back to get under some kind of roof, where they’d crowd together, with no necks, quietly waiting.

After that, I brought my camera into the greenhouse for transplanting, (57 tomatoes – cue Heinz jokes) and completely failed to take any pictures at all!  Next round.   There’s more to plant.