Today turned into a gorgeous day weather wise. DH decided to get some extra slabs to provide a solid area in front of the Run, and we decided to let the chickens free range properly for the first time.
I busied myself pruning a large shrub; Isabelle the Huntress settled down to watch the chickens; DH started digging up turf to lay the slabs. Washburn the Hunter was asleep upstairs. The Girls progressed as a trio around the garden, obviously not quite sure of themselves. Isabelle ran at them at one point, there was a bit of sqwarking (how do you spell that?) and she stopped dead in her tracks. And then Wash got up and came downstairs.
I've not been too worried about how the chooks will cope with one or other of the cats. I am worried about how they will cope with the two of them, as they do hunt as a pair - one of themn chases the prey into the path of the other. So, I fetched the hosepipe, and got it ready - just in case.
I had to stop pruning and stand ready with the hose on several occasions as Wash prepared to pounce. In the end, he did pounce: the Girls were busy foraging and didn't notice him, and so he kind of stopped pouncing in mid pounce, and walked off. If the girls had reacted, he would have given chase.
The Girls eventually made their way back to the Run - except Lydia (of course!) who had got distracted and separated. I picked her up and took her back into the Run manually.
I busied myself pruning a large shrub; Isabelle the Huntress settled down to watch the chickens; DH started digging up turf to lay the slabs. Washburn the Hunter was asleep upstairs. The Girls progressed as a trio around the garden, obviously not quite sure of themselves. Isabelle ran at them at one point, there was a bit of sqwarking (how do you spell that?) and she stopped dead in her tracks. And then Wash got up and came downstairs.
I've not been too worried about how the chooks will cope with one or other of the cats. I am worried about how they will cope with the two of them, as they do hunt as a pair - one of themn chases the prey into the path of the other. So, I fetched the hosepipe, and got it ready - just in case.
I had to stop pruning and stand ready with the hose on several occasions as Wash prepared to pounce. In the end, he did pounce: the Girls were busy foraging and didn't notice him, and so he kind of stopped pouncing in mid pounce, and walked off. If the girls had reacted, he would have given chase.The Girls eventually made their way back to the Run - except Lydia (of course!) who had got distracted and separated. I picked her up and took her back into the Run manually.
