Spreading Their Wings

So after all the spring break activities, Scratch and Scout and I been back in Tuscaloosa for a week now. They loved riding around in the car and living with Mom & Dad back home, but you could tell they were pleased to be back in the area of their birth.

One development that manifested itself immediately upon our return is that now they can get out of their box (when I take the roof off so they can roost on the edges) and roam the house not just by accident, but on purpose, and with much frequency and glee. Sometimes I let them stay out and peck around for a little while, as I know they'll go stir-crazy if they can't stretch their legs and flap around a bit, but most of the time I corral them and get them back in quickly, to maintain some discipline and teach them that they can't just run around and poop everywhere. And they seem to be learning! A few days ago they got out, and I was able to herd them back near the box, whereupon they hopped back in on their own. And just last night, I went for a short run and told them that I would leave the roof off and trust them not to roam; when I got back, as soon as I opened the door I found that they were out, but when they saw me they ran over to the box and got right in! Good chickens!

Any such behavior, of course, is always led by Scout. He's the more bold of the two, and usually, wherever he goes, Scratch follows. So now whenever I want them to do something, I try to get Scout to do it first, and Scratch falls in line. The other way around never works.

Anyway, in light of their need to run and flap, and the nice warm weather, I finally got around this week to erecting a nice little temporary coop in my side yard. Whenever it's a nice day and I'm around, I put them out there and can see them from the house, or better, sit at the outdoor table next to them and work. They love running and flapping (Scout can get some air!) and pecking and scratching and rolling around in the leaves and dirt. And hopping. There's been lots of happy hopping. They're out there right now, in fact. I would be too but since I don't have wireless internet yet I had to come inside to write this post.

So things are good in chickenland. In humanland, they are less so, since finals are approaching quickly and the job search remains ongoing. Also, as summer looms, I haven't yet decided what I will do with the chickies since I probably won't be here and it's unlikely that I can take them wherever I wind up. They might have to spend the summer back at the farm from whence they came. More on this as it develops.

Oh yes...it's pretty official now: Scout is a boy and Scratch remains a girl. Or rather, a cockerel and a pullet, respectively. That's what they're called prior to one year of age, at which point they graduate to roosterdom and hendom. I'll try to get some good photos soon of Scout's burgeoning maleness.

Lastly for now, here come some more spring break photos...