Sunday, November 13, 2016

Free Range Chickens

Brett and I were home all day today, working outside.  I decided to open the door to the chicken run and let the chickens forage in the open.

I wasn't worried about them laying their eggs in secret places because they've stopped laying for the winter.  Between Brett, me and the roosters I figured we could keep an eye out for hawks.

The chickens were thrilled.  Initially, they stuck pretty close to their run.

Then they ventured further out.  The Lakenvelder immediately nabbed a baby rat.  Lakenvelders are exceptional foragers and she certainly lived up to her breed's reputation.

As I watched her running back and forth, with the little rat dangling from her beak, I couldn't help but think it was karma.  A rat killed one of the baby chicks.  A chicken killed a baby rat.

Dixie Chick is all grown up.  She's a lovely hen, don't you agree?

The chickens scratched in the leaves, ate green grass, and dug for worms by the stream bed until dark.

They had a very good day.

5 comments:

  1. I do love chickens and yours seem pretty happy.

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  2. An American in TokyoNovember 14, 2016 at 6:28 PM

    Wonderful day for the chickens!
    Maybe if you let them out more often, you might see less rodents? ;)

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  3. That's interesting. Nature's way of culling their enemies. I hope she eats all the rats on your property!

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Thanks so much for commenting!