Chick Jailbreak and Improvised Nest Box

My chicks have been living in brooder cage splendor for nearly two weeks. Every day Doctor Dolittle helps me collect chicks and deposit them in their chick tractor for exercise and treats. Today they had other plans....

Maybe they were inspired by last night's rearrangement of the coop interior. Maybe they were invigorated by the glorious weather. Maybe they watched Shawshank Redemption last night.

Since Doc was busy, I was on my own collecting chicks. I got the first one and went out to the chick tractor. Sensing the opportunity, they sprang into action.

*thud* *pop*pop*pop*pop*pop*pop*

Buffy and the chicks executed their mass jailbreak plan. I returned to the coop to find it occupied by the riotous mob. Buffy was excitedly scratching and clucking and pecking and eating delicious bits of dropped food overlooked by her sisters. The chicks were blissfully scratching and peeping and pecking and eating delicious bits of dropped food overlooked by the adults. Oh the chickeny joy!

Feathery mob escapes chick jail

I hastily collected a chick and put it in the tractor.

Following her lead

I got four chicks confined to the tractor. When I collected the fifth, Buffy took note and gave chase. The angry hen and two little accomplices chased me out of the coop and around the tractor as I hastily deposited their little sister.

Buffy and chick at large

We furiously circled the tractor until I could improvise a barricade for the chicks and distract Buffy with treats. Mr. Big and De and Vo came to watch, eating their own treats like popcorn-munching moviegoers. I caught Buffy, placing her in with the chicks, and peace reigned in the chicken pen. Oh the chickeny joy!

Remembering the bucket on the coop floor, I returned to the coop to collect eggs. Yesterday, De and Vo had words over nest box rights. So I improvised a nest box using a 5 gallon bucket and a little hay. De proudly deposited her daily egg in the newfangled nest box, relegating Vo to the dusty old one.

New nest box

Ah, chicken politics.