We're Perfectly Normal....

We just have chickens living in the basement.

So this morning, Prospector informs me that the Americauna, who was living in the basement, has laid an egg in the centre of the coop floor now that she's moved out.

Also, the Wyandottes that have been moved inside, have laid an egg at the very back of their cage, and that he leaves me to collect that one.  Also, he suggests that we should maybe figure out some kind of laying box for the 'hospital,' so that they don't become accustomed to laying out of the boxes.

So I go downstairs, to collect said egg.

And completely forgot that the Wyandottes that are in there now, are not 'tame' like the Americauna was.  As in, with the Americauna, you would go downstairs, open the door, she would follow you to the feed, follow you back, and eat right out of your hand.  She was becoming more pet-like than farm animal like.

I open the cage door, and the egg is, way, way back there.  There is no way of getting it unless I either crawl through the chicken poop to it, or use a tool to reach it.

I choose tool.  Tool of choice is the broom... I can sweep it out.

This worked just fine with the Americauna.  She was tame, remember?

The Wyandottes, while being quite friendly, are not pets.  Not at all.  So they see a large tool coming towards them, and panic.  And one... flys out.

I have a loose hen in my basement. 

Now, I don't know about you, but my basement?  Is a dumping ground.  There are tools, old boxes, a pile of stuff that is headed for a yardsale, patio furniture waiting for warmer weather, etc.

Now, this nimble little hen can walk all over and around these landmines.

I..... cannot.

I chase her back & forth,and back & forth.

She got close to the cage at one point, so I opened the door, and tried to shoo her in.

I'm sure you all know what happened next.

Yes, now I have two hens running around my basement.

Eventually, one runs into the cage.  I don't know if it was the first or second escapee.

The other one keeps running to the back of the cage, and is trying to join her friend... but whenever she gets close to the cage door, I cannot open it without her running away, and can't leave it open, 'cause then I'll have... TWO HENS running around again!!

Eventually, I remember that the hospital is a extra large dog cage.

And that, it is a cage that is designed to be shrunk with a divider panel.

Also, that I tried to remove the panel a few days ago, but it was stuck on one side, so it is simply folded against the wall.

Once my brain started working, I got her in pretty quick... unfolded the divider, with the other hen on the far side of it, shooed the first hen in, then re-folded the divider.

I go now to make an egg box.... one that can be placed near the door!!