Expanded chicken yard

On Saturday Dan and I spent some hours adding fencing (read: poultry netting) to the existing chicken yard. After the coyote incident the hens have been cooped up in their yard, and after having given them a taste of freedom, I felt bad for them. The new yard about triples their previous scratching grounds, and it has a lot of scrubby mesquites and other plants to be checked for bugs. I do wonder what will happen with all the rabbits living there, but they are probably resourceful enough to relocate.

It did not take long for some of the hens to venture out: they must be the ones beating down the gate every time I come in to give them something delicious from the garden. Some are still cautious, but at least the opportunity for exploration and getting away from whomever is picking on you is there.

I thought that I would miss the chickens wandering around the house, but I now realize that the quail who cruise by here on regular schedules have returned. So there are some birds scratching around close by.