So Far So Good

A quick update on the goings on in the coop area.  Rudy found his way to the food and water I left for him on Tuesday afternoon, he eventually made his way back into the coop area and has been there since. 

It has meant a slight change in the feeding routine to try and keep him from getting too excited when I go in and do what I have to do to keep things tidy.  I did notice that when I put out the "treats" that Rudy was not really wanting to share with the girls.....he wanted his first!  This morning I "smartened up" and sprinkled treats in a much larger area so they could all eat the treats and Rudy didn't get all the best of the goodies!  It is my hope that after a these past few days of establishing a new pecking order things are going to quiet down.  So far the girls are still laying eggs, but I have told Rudy that if he interrupts that process his is "outta here"!   

Have a great day!

Sleeping Out

An update on where Rudy decided to spend the night.  As hard as I tried to keep him from flying out he still managed to get out of the pen area when I went for the evening feeding.....so he spent the night out again!  Earlier this morning he was on the ground not far from the coop........... 

......then he found his way back to the coop area but hasn't managed to find an opening yet.  I am beginning to think that he might end up being more of a free range kinda guy, LOL.  If that looks like the case I will have to come up with a plan to make some food available for him without feeding additional wildlife at least until the snow clears!

Hunter doesn't really like the new guy because I haven't let him run free yet today, I was hoping to keep things calm.......as soon as Hunter sees him things won't be calm.  I know that Rudy will fly up into the trees and get away, if only he knew how nice his life would be if he followed the program!! 

This has certainly been a learning process and in the spring we will be building a new coop and yard area, if you remember the girls came in late November and we didn't have much time for planning.  After a winter of going in and out of this area I now know what works, but even that wouldn't necessarily have kept Rudy in the coop without making me scream while he was flapping around, LOL.  I plan to modify this little coop and save it for newcombers like Rudy and make it escape proof while still allowing for me to feed and water.  Who knows when I get done I may have an EGGS for SALE sign out front to pay for my quilting!!!!

On another note, I did manage to get some stitching done yesterday, I worked on some of the wool applique blocks for the Green Piece Quilt. 

The above blocks are the ones I worked on yesterday, now they have to be sized and then I need to add the corner pieces like on the finished block below.  Then they will be ready to be layed out in rows with the pieced blocks until I finish the large center block which is a tree!

Well off to do some tidying around the house and see what mischief I can get into today!

Meet Rudy........

I know I said I would be sewing, but I had to run out in the terrible weather to get dog food, VERY poor planning on my part!  After I got home, I unloaded the few groceries I picked up while I was out so I wouldn't have to go out tomorrow.....I tidied up the house while trying to get the ambition to sew, then the mail came and the new Jennifer Chiaverini book arrived...........

So I may start reading this instead of sewing???

Then I cleaned the ashes from the wood stove, checked on the escapee (more on that to follow) then  I  decided I would check e-mail and visit a few of my blog friends.  Well, since the escapee returned I warmed my coffee and decided to tell you his story.

I should preface all of this by saying that we went to a family birthday party and didn't get home until after midnight, that is why I didn't know about the "addition" until the phone call.  I received a phone call on Sunday morning from one of my sons.......he told me he was calling to to give me a "heads up" for when I went out and fed the girls, of course I asked  "what happened to my girls".......oh nothing he said, he just didn't want me to be shocked when I saw a new bird in the coop!  Then he proceeded to mention the word "he" when referring to the new addition, even though I hadn't had any coffee yet I knew that "he" meant a ROOSTER!  I won't get into many details other than saying that he was saved from the "stew pot" and as long as he behaves he will be safe, but the first sign of trouble and one of my future posts will be "Rudy Stew", LOL.  Before I continue the story here is the "man" of the coop.......

Now you are probably wondering why this photo was taken in this setting......When I feed the chickens I usually sprinkle some goodies onto the ground and open the little coop door for them to come out and they eat while I am checking for eggs and getting their water container which is hanging on the inside of the coop ......this requires lifting the roof to the coop, well Rudy didn't come out with the girls to eat the goodies and as soon as I opened the roof he got all bothered and flew up into the trees!  I know that the chickens can fly, but they have never flown that high, mind you all of this took place yesterday morning before 8:30am! 

Rudy stayed in the trees, just above the coop, all day and all night (I did leave some water and feed on the roof overnight).  This morning I went about the usual feeding and covered the pen area, like I do every morning, Rudy was still in the trees.  When I returned this morning from errands I went out to see if he was still in the same tree, I didn't see him, then I looked around the coop area and there he was, somehow he managed to get into the pen area and was with the girls.  I wasn't able to get a photo because he went into the coop and I figured I would leave him alone, knowing I will have to deal with him possibly flying off again tonight, I am brainstorming a possible solution but if he flies back out that will be his problem!

Yesterday morning Hunter decided to sniff around the chicken area, not paying attention and climbed up the snow pile and found himself inside the "perimeter" fencing, when I called his name he just sat and looked pathetic, LOL. 

FYI, no I didn't want a rooster, but I will give him a chance I guess I'm just an old softee, I bet that is why he "found his way to my house"??!!