Day 106

We had to wait for the scheduled outdoor projects to be completed before constructing the new yard and adding our new chickens. Until then, our ten birds were stuck. Because of the work being done outside, they didn't have access to their normal outdoor space. Being new chicken caretakers, we didn't want to stress them out but knew the crazy construction sights and sounds surrounding their home probably wasn't positively impacting their psyche. 

We had to give them outside time.

Similarly to the first time we introduced them to the outside world, we built a temporary space connected to the fenced-in backyard. The problem was transferring them. We wanted to avoid placing them in storage totes and transferring them in small groups. Though we read that the birds usually stayed near their home and would return to roost around sunset, we were still a bit hesitant to let them follow their instincts and instead came up with a plan to lure them from one space to another with minimal physical contact.

Mealworms.

Each morning and evening, we took a small cup filled with these crunchy treats and created a trail of breadcrumbs to get the girls going where we needed them to go. 

As is usually the case, there were some roadblocks. Whether it was some stubborn chickens or navigating the trench created by the solar installers, we occasionally had adventurers in this process that made life a little more interesting.

But through it all, we were able to create a system that gave the girls some much-needed outdoor time. We were happy to see their stress levels must have been manageable as they continued to lay eggs through the entire process. Still, we were anxious for them to avoid the back and forth parade and have a more permanent place to call home sooner than later.

That time would come soon as both solar and landscape projects inched closer to completion. We did ask the landscapers to create a gravel path that branched off our main driveway and connected us to the barn. For a finishing touch, we also put a path of gravel right through the barn.

No rest for the weary though.