New Kids

The pullets are definitely feeling like new kids on the block.  After their first night in with the big kids, they clumped together in a corner when I opened the coop in the morning.  I left them to work it out on their own and tended to other chores.  By afternoon they were out in the pen, running and fluttering their lopsided wings and having a gay old time.  Having done it a number of times in the past, I knew what was coming at sundown.  The rest of the flock knows the routine and heads into the coop without hesitation for their nightly treat.  The pullets, once again grouped together, had no idea what to do.  Herding chickens is much like herding cats.  They go every which way but where they should, and those little bird legs are faster than mine.  It's very much like being in a real-life pinball game as they ping around the pen.  Catching one and putting her inside, I'm grateful for the Dutch door to their house because I could shut the bottom half to keep her in while going after the others.  Bessie Anne wants desperately to help and runs around the fence line on the outside.  This isn't much help to me, as I'll get the runaways into a corner, be ready to grab one, and Bess charges the fence and the kids race away.  Drat.  Out of breath and out of patience, finally I dropped the last of the little ones over the door and was able to shut them in for the night.  I can only hope these new kids are quick learners.  Walking back to the house in the fading light, Bessie looked up at me and said, "Good job, Mom.  We did it!"  I'm sure she felt a high-five was in order.  I didn't have the heart to tell her it might have gone faster without her help.