The Art of Escape

Despite the clean and dry homes we provide for our farm animals, escape always seems to be on their minds.  I have spent a significant amount of time this week chasing down rogue animals and returning them to their respective pens or paddocks.

Let's start with Martha.  Yesterday she figured out how to climb up the diagonal brace of the chicken run fence.

In fairness, the giant apple tree is loaded with apples and is hanging tantalisingly over the fence.  This was apparently just the motivation she needed to climb up the brace and once that was accomplished, it was a relatively easy hop over the fence and into the backyard.  Every time I looked outside yesterday Martha was on the wrong side of the fence.  I returned her to the run five times before finally locking her in the barn.  Funny enough Mellie stayed in the paddock - no fence hopping for her.  After work, Ian removed the problematic brace which thankfully curbed the escaping.

I wonder how long it will take for Martha to figure out that there are several other diagonal braces along the inside of the chicken run fence line.  Many of these lead to Charlie's paddock; however, which might make them less appealing.

After dealing with Martha's antics all day, I cannot say that I was particularly surprised when I went to put the baby chickens to bed for the night only to find their house totally empty.  On a typical day, the chickens put themselves to bed at sunset and cuddle up warm and cozy inside their little coop.  But yesterday was not a typical day.  Despite us having clipped their wings, eight chickens had flown up to roost on the fence railing.

Three were cuddled up outside the coop on the ground.  I found one lonely lass out in the run on the opposite side of the fence and one chicken almost completely camouflaged inside Ian's hops plant.  This is risky business given that Emily the chicken killer is allowed outside before bed for her nighttime pee.  The chickens had not seemed to factor Emily into their escape plan.

Where was the 14th chicken, you ask?  I have no idea.  I did a thorough search but to no avail.  Yet, low and behold there she was the next morning, strutting her stuff outside of the run while the others were stuck inside.

This rogue bird was absolutely no worse for the wear and in fact, she seemed pretty proud of herself for evading capture the night before.  Lucky for her, I had not let Emily outside yet or she might not have been in such good spirits.

Thankfully today it is pouring rain.  Martha and the chickens seem more than content to stay inside their respective barn/coop.  It seems their motivation to escape is weather dependent.  Who really wants to be "free" when there is a tornado warning in effect?  Though a trip to Oz would serve them right.