This morning was lovely, but the forecast said thundery showers. So, we decided ot put the chicks out early-ish so we could put them away when the rain was due.
DH popped out. No sooner had he gone, than I heard the rumble of thunder. I rushed straight outside and crawled into the run to start catching the chicks. As fast as I got them into the big tub trug, they would be trying to escape. I'm not nimble enough to keep crawling in and out of the run, so in the end I caught them and popped them into the Go, shutting the door each time. My thinking was that they would be in the dry if it started to rain, and I could get to the back of the Go to get them out.
Two chicks escaped out of the front of the run. I did a quick cat-check, and couldn't see them, so I left them to it while I continued catching the other slippery little monkeys.
Then the rain started. I managed to catch the two escapees and put them back in the shed. I hadn't cleaned out the brooder yet (sorry chicks), and I paused to move the (electric) Hen back to its normal position. It had been moved up and out of the way so that we could clean out the brooder.
I then started to unload the Go from the back, a few at a time. One of the Exchequers ran past me and out... I couldn't catch her, so I went back to the others.
Eventually it was just the Exchequer left. I couldn't catch her. She ran under the rosemary. She ran to the trellis which separates one part of the garden from another. If she got through there, she'd be under the shed and I'd never get her out. It was very wet by this time. She made a bolt for it, I managed to catch her.
I popped her under my tee shirt and carried her to the shed. She looks fine, we'll need to keep an eye on her to make sure no harm was done. If she'd been with a broody she might have got a bit damp running to her mum for cover, so hopefully it will be OK.
I was very wet, and my trousers were, of course, covered in smears of chick poo. Mmm, lovely. Still, the rain will make my hair even more curly than usual.
DH popped out. No sooner had he gone, than I heard the rumble of thunder. I rushed straight outside and crawled into the run to start catching the chicks. As fast as I got them into the big tub trug, they would be trying to escape. I'm not nimble enough to keep crawling in and out of the run, so in the end I caught them and popped them into the Go, shutting the door each time. My thinking was that they would be in the dry if it started to rain, and I could get to the back of the Go to get them out.
Two chicks escaped out of the front of the run. I did a quick cat-check, and couldn't see them, so I left them to it while I continued catching the other slippery little monkeys.
Then the rain started. I managed to catch the two escapees and put them back in the shed. I hadn't cleaned out the brooder yet (sorry chicks), and I paused to move the (electric) Hen back to its normal position. It had been moved up and out of the way so that we could clean out the brooder.
I then started to unload the Go from the back, a few at a time. One of the Exchequers ran past me and out... I couldn't catch her, so I went back to the others.
Eventually it was just the Exchequer left. I couldn't catch her. She ran under the rosemary. She ran to the trellis which separates one part of the garden from another. If she got through there, she'd be under the shed and I'd never get her out. It was very wet by this time. She made a bolt for it, I managed to catch her.
I popped her under my tee shirt and carried her to the shed. She looks fine, we'll need to keep an eye on her to make sure no harm was done. If she'd been with a broody she might have got a bit damp running to her mum for cover, so hopefully it will be OK.
I was very wet, and my trousers were, of course, covered in smears of chick poo. Mmm, lovely. Still, the rain will make my hair even more curly than usual.
