Bedlam

Did you know?
In Britain, long before America came into existence, there was a hospital
that ministered to the poor.  It was named Bethlehem, which in Hebrew meant "house of bread".
The name was shortened to Bedlam.
Bedlam eventually became a hospital for the insane, 
and eventually all psychiatric hospitals were referred to as Bedlam.
In modern times bedlam came to mean the "scene of uproar or confusion".


I tell you, it's bedlam around the chicken coops these days.

The French gals (my Cuckoo Marans) have taken to laying 
their eggs in the most unorthodox places...

on the work bench...


on top of the refrigerator....
(not the safest place)


in the trash can....


I discovered this gal when Sam was standing on his hind legs peering down into the can.


I wondered if she would be able to get out again.
She did.
Of course.


The Frenchies have taken over the barn.
They run amuck and leave their calling cards all over the place.


Yuck!

Then there are the youngsters that were hatched in July.
Two weeks ago I moved them into the upper henhouses.
I kept them all inside their yard for nearly a week,
so that they would understand that was their new home.
This amount of time should get them used to roosting in their new digs each night.


You would think they would get with the program.
But alas...
yesterday morning I had 10 hens to round up.
They had stayed out partying all night.
Oh....the youth of today!

So, needless to say,
they are on coop arrest.
They will have to remain in their own yard 
until I am certain they will return to their coop to roost each evening.


I am all for free ranging, but I hate to lose hens to night time predators.

Bedlam,
uproar,
confusion.
That about describes our chicken coops right now.

Oh, and I forgot to mention.
The first morning after I had allowed the newest hens to free range,
I found one who had bunked down with the Frenchies in the coop by the barn...
which is about 200 yards away from the upper coops where the newbies live.

Bedlam.

Last week I posted a picture of our newest barn cat.
Meet Sophia.


She is a lovely cat who spends most of her days hiding beneath the barn rafters.
Sophia, after Sophia Loren,
(the black eyeliner is the key)
will be neutered along with Leo.
We are a kitten free barn!
And goodness knows, we need no more cats!

Join my friends at:

Comments

JudiB said…
Never dull around a farm!! The looks I get ..are you not bored??? REALLY!!! LOL..HGow could you ever be bored arouond animals.
Isn't it sad how many cats and dogs turn up needing a home. Over the years we have adopted so many and loved each and every one of them. I don't want to think of the personality of the people that just dump them off..to upsetting.
Arena looking GREAT...how exciting for you and Becky.
Take care..Judj B.
Anonymous said…
Sure keeping you your toes, aren't they! Wild women I tell ya... Wild women.
The hens are so pretty. Hopefully the young ones will get their act together soon. I am praying so hard for a small coop for the backward yard in the spring.
Anke said…
Guess the bright side is that the chickens are laying eggs. Even if it is a bit of a hide and seek game for you to get to them... ;-)
Unknown said…
You do indeed have bedlam....those crazy girls. I would freak out to find eggs everywhere. That has only happened twice so I am lucky. The Marans are so pretty...maybe I want one of those too. lol

Never have enough..I can see why you have so many.
This N That said…
What a turn around...from ministering to the poor to a Psych facility..interesting...
Coop arrest !! Now I've heard everything..Sophia is a sweeetie...nice addition..
This N That said…
What a turn around..to go from caring for the indigent to a Psych facility..interesting info...
Coop arrest !! Now I've heard everything (probably not)..
Sophia is a sweetie..nice addition
Country Gal said…
I remember those never a dull moments at the farm , wonderful moments they were to ! Maybe the hens are getting you trained for easter ,ya know the egg hunt ! hehehe ! great photos. Have a wonderful day !
jerilanders said…
Oh you are so right about barn bedlam. I finally moved one chicken family out of my potting shed. They had taken it over completely, even though we have a huge and wonderful barn for them to live in. I moved them one by one, (late at night), locked my potting shed door and placed each chicken on a barn rafter. 5 of them realized this was their new home. 4 of them decided that the porch arbor was a much better place to be, and they won't budge. It just never ends, these chickens ( which are free-range)are a confusing little group of people, aren't they?
Hi Bev, I am a fairly new reader to your blog. I greatly enjoy reading the happenings on the farm. Thank you for the smiles each day, the coop lockdown was a classic! Have a great weekend!
Junebug said…
Love this morning's post. Who ever said chicken don't have personality hasn't owned a few! Oh do they provide entertainment! Sweet Sophia with her eyeliner. I don't own a kitty but the neighbor has five so I have my visitors to love. Enjoy your weekend and lets hope bedlam settles down.
I go on an egg hunt every day. I haven't found an egg from my Wellsummer in about a month. I'm not sure where she's hiding them. Their favorite place was always the hay bags in the horse trailer. I'd open it up every day for them because it was so easy to go in and retrieve the eggs. Maybe I should set that up again:-)
Mine use their nestboxes, but I don't give them much choice.. They don't free range because we have a family of red tail hawks that like to hang out in the trees surrounding their coop and yard. I don't know if I'm being cruel by not letting them wander, sometimes I think I should anyway but I'd be so upset at the carnage. I only have seven.
kimjlawson@yahoo said…
Love your chicken Bedlam post. I am un-eggucated when it comes to egg issues with chickens. Are any of the eggs they lay fertilized? With roosters in the vicinity how do you know? Haven't seen any chicks in your posts so just wondering?
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Sounds like our house, but we have chickens laying where they shouldn't and donkeys running around the yard, intent to not stay where they belong. Ah isn't farm life grand!
Anonymous said…
they are just trying to keep you entertained with a egg hunt : )Sophia sure is a beauty.
Hey, this is my first time to participate in Farm Friend Friday. I love your word history lesson. And of course the poor imprisoned hens. lol