Circumstances change, sometimes for the worse, and sometimes for the better. Sometimes a change is bad for one faction, but good for another.
Changes over the last few months have been difficult elsewhere on the property, but they mean that I can start letting my chickens out to roam in a very limited capacity. An hour or two, here or there throughout the week, when various circumstances align.
First, one wants to be sure one’s chickens will come when called. I don’t want them roaming too far, and I want to be able to put them back with a minimum of fuss when it’s time. The secret to this – as with so many chicken-related things – is a tub of scratch grains.
Their first outing lasted half an hour. I sat out with them the whole time. They took to it with aplomb.
You never know with chickens. Replace the board they use for a ramp, and they are paralyzed with terror for days. But open the door to their pen and let them run free for the first time in their lives, and they’re fine with it.
Yours are braver than ours were the first time. There I sat, with camera, to capture the moment. And sat. And sat. Took more than an hour for the first one to set foot on dirt – and she was accidentally pushed out by the crowd behind her trying to look out the doorway. She slid down the ramp backwards, flapping madly, then rushed back up and inside…
I live in Austin, TX and I thought you might be interested in this: http://fccooptour.blogspot.com/2012/03/coop-photos-and-descriptions.html
I love the chicken vids! Re: Your carrot problem, maybe try this? http://thelocalcook.com/2010/04/21/golden-carrot-bake-2/
‘Tis yummy, but shredding the carrots is best with a food processor. I don’t know if you have one.
Or you could freeze some of them for cooking later. I’d hate to see 4# go bad.
so nice that you can let them out.