Is that kind of like fish in a barrel? I guess it might be if a coyote figured out how to get in or the eagle decided to visit. But anyway, I think they’re safer now than they were before. And the neighbor’s veggie garden definitely is.

With the help of my parents, Mike and I got a fence up around the hen shack this weekend. The fenced yard is 35 feet square (so about 1200 square feet) but that includes the shack, so more like 900 I guess? Anyway, plenty of room for them to hang out in most of the time. We’ll still let them free range, at least until they actually find the neighbor’s garden, but not when we’re not home. I’d like to be here to rescue or corral them as necessary.

We actually finished on Sunday afternoon, just before the rain hit. The final touch was the gate - check out the photo below to see why I love it so much.

Just to make it interesting I actually moved the little girls into the shack with the hens on Saturday night. That way they had all had some time inside to get acquainted before discovering the great outdoors. Turns out there hasn’t been a whole lot of persecution. The biggest bully is Maisie, but she mostly just chases them around the shack and then either tries to keep them in or keep them out depending on her mood. So far everyone looks healthy and happy and they’re basically practicing mutual ignoring.

I guess in theory I took a risk with the sink or swim integration. But I’ve done it before and it always seems to work out. There are more complicated and complex ways to make it happen, but I’ve always treated it like ripping off a band-aid. It can be a bit painful at first, but so much easier to get it over fast.

The little girls already look bigger after just two days outside. I think they’re blooming in the great outdoors, just like the plants we set out this weekend. Of course there’s always a friendly one and in the case of this batch it’s this little Buff Orpington that I’ve named Magpie.

My little rooster is really cute. I’ve named him Oscar, as in Oscar del a renta, since he looks like he’s in costume. Unfortunately for him there’s a big black Ameraucana rooster joining the flock this weekend. Hopefully they’ll be able to co-exist. Otherwise one or both are going to have to look for a new home…