I cried. A lot.
It started as I was getting stuff ready to take to the Allotment, long before it came time to catch the chicks. We packed the car with the netting, the feeders, the drinker, the stuff to do the water butts, the stuff to adjust their side shelter. We prepped the two boxes (a dog crate and a sturdy box), and I hung coop feeders into the dog crte with the Garvo Alfa mix in.
Then we started to catch the chicks, one by one. The first 8 were easy, they were the ones who were used to being handled. They were quite happy in the crate with the Garvo. The second 8 were a bit more of a challenge. Eventually, everyone was in and we carefully carried the boxes to the car. The two little Girls, left behind, were cheeping frantically. Poor little things.
At the Allotment, we put them in their coop - it's actually a shed, plenty of room for the 16 of them. We shut them in with a feeder and drinker, and set about putting up double rows of netting. Then we did the water butts. Then replaced a window with fly screen, strimmed the grass that we've been growing especially for them. Everything took time.
Eventually we were ready to let them out. I coaxed them out by shaking some Garvo and calling them. Eventually they all came out, and they piled onto the grass. We watched them for a while, then started to pack up the car.
They were starting to explore their area when we left. We'll go back at bed time to see if they've managed to find their way in.
I'll miss them.
