Child of Richard VI

In my last post, I wrote about our rooster, Richard VI, escaping from the fence. Before I wrote that post, he had escaped four times, and a fifth time as I was finishing it. Throughout that day, he kept escaping–so many times that we lost count. “Richard is outside the fence again!” was our constant refrain. Finally, I accidentally caught him going over the fence. Portions of our fence is made up of old dog kennel fences, whose frame is made of solid metal pipes. The top one provided Richard a solid place to land before jumping down on the other side. EJ took it out and replaced it with regular fencing.

The next day, Richard did not escape. We were feeling quite satisfied with ourselves for having solved the problem at last. We crowed, “Haha. Foiled you, Richard!” And we had. Until later, that is.

Just before 5 p.m. EJ and I were enjoying the beautiful weather as we sat on our deck at the front of the house when we heard Richard loudly crowing. EJ said, “It sounds like Richard has escaped.” I replied hopefully “He probably hasn’t. He might just be near the fence.” We both sighed. “We probably should go look.” EJ got up out of his chair and walked around to the west corner of the house. He turned back toward me and said with resignation, “He’s escaped.”

“Doggone it, Richard!”

We herded him back in. We are in a battle of wills and so far we are losing. It’s very humbling to keep getting outwitted by a rooster.

A short time later, I was spying on the chickens through the window like Mr. Tweedie from Chicken Run when I suddenly shouted in utter disbelief, “EJ, one of the little CHICKS is outside the fence!” It was one of the chicks whose mother was obviously a Buff Orpinton because it has a lot of yellow in its feathers. The hens all lay their eggs in the same nesting boxes so they can be any hen’s eggs. Mama is whoever actually hatches them. Our little chicks have all sorts of interesting coloring from New Hampshire/Rhode Island Red, Partridge Chantecler, and Buff Orpington hens.

We quickly mobilized. We are getting skilled at this. EJ ran around the west side of the house to open the gate. I ran around the east side to herd the chick. I was actually able to pick it up and carrying it around the fence and through the gate while it squawked loudly in alarm. I set the chick down a few feet from its concerned Mama and it ran to her for safety. “Make sure your little one doesn’t get out,” I cautioned Mama.

EJ and I went into the back yard to look for escape routes through the fence. The chicks are still smaller than the adults so they can get through smaller holes. I suddenly glanced up and noticed that the same little chick was back outside the fence. We herded it back in. With disgust I turned to Richard VI and scolded, “NOW look what you’ve done! You taught one of your little children how to escape. YOU might make a tasty meal for a predator, but THIS little one will made a tasty chicken nugget. I hope you are proud of yourself.” Richard did, indeed, look rather proud.

EJ and I fixed the place where the chick got out. We thought we had fixed it before when Richard escaped through the same place, but the chicks are smaller and I think the cats got out there and probably enlarged it a bit. Fixing the fence caused a new set of problems because Theo and Harvey’s pet door opens into the garden and they couldn’t get out of the fence this morning. I saw them discussing the problem while they looked the situation over. Then they began to angrily swat at each other. Sigh. I told them to stop it. Their food, water, and shelter is in the garage so I opened the big garage door a little bit so they could go in and out and avoid the garden. I’m not sure how to provide them with access to the garden. Any place the cats can get through or over, the chickens can too.

There’s a raccoon that has begun coming into the orchard before it’s dark. He has a big scar down his back. It looks as if the injury happened quite recently so he is obviously healing and probably wanting an extra start on the leftover bird seed. I was going to name him “Scar” but EJ suggested “Buzz” and Buzz is the name that has stuck. Often the Mama Hen and her chicks are still out in the back yard when Buzz enters the front yard, which has me concerned because the chicks would be a nice morsel to a hungry raccoon. I’m trying to get the chickens all in the coop before Buzz makes his appearance, although it’s difficult. Chickens go in to their coop in the evening by themselves but they don’t go in until they are ready.

I just watched a doe chase Theo and Harvey all the way up the driveway. The cats ran into the garage–good thing I opened the door a bit–and the doe stood there a moment looking to make sure they were gone. Sometimes a doe chases everything away when she’s about to give birth. A month or so ago I positioned my trail camera at the place where I’ve seen a doe and her newborn fawn twice before. I’ve been hoping to capture a birth on camera. Wouldn’t that be cool?

The only critters who are NOT being difficult are the wild turkeys who often browse on our property. Sometimes they come right up on the deck and look in the window. Yesterday a female came into the front yard and lay down for quite a while as we watched from the windows. I’m sure she must have a nest nearby in the woods. At least, I hope so. I love seeing the young turkeys following after their Mama later in the summer. (Four turkeys just now wandered into the yard.)

So far no rooster or chick has escaped from the fence but the day is still young…

…I spoke too soon. Richard is outside the fence. Gotta run!