Monday, February 6, 2012

Solar-powered chickens

This is our chicken coop door after dark. Notice the warm and welcoming light inside for the chickens.


Normally chickens will wander toward their coop as dusk falls, and cozy up on their perches.


But as night falls, I always find these two ladies huddled in some random spot outside. We always count heads before buttoning the birds up for the night, and almost invariably these girls are outside. Tonight Older Daughter said, "It's like they're solar-powered. The moment the sun sets, they shut down and just stay in place."


Methinks they need some solar-powered batteries...

11 comments:

  1. Very astute. We have a couple of those as well.

    Lana

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  2. Ha! None of our chickens are solar-powered, although we only have a handful. A few times though my 3 year old daughter will try to "tuck them in" before dusk without me realizing it and shuts the door to the coop. I'll find myself thinking I'm going crazy still hearing the chickens long after dark and then I look on our back patio and they've all roosted on our patio furniture quietly singing their goodnight songs! LOL I find chickens rather amusing.

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  3. I SO want to raise chickens. I love these stories. Why don't I just do it? I don't know. Thoughts of cleaning the mess, I guess. Was it Lucy that was always calling Charlie Brown "wishy washy?" I think that's me sometimes...or maybe not...but maybe.

    ;-)

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  4. Patrice, I also have barred rocks like your two wayward girls - the first clutch I trained to go to their coop when I hollered "Roost up!" They would dutifully waddle over, hop up and settle in. But with the natural broods that came later (rather than the chicks purchased and raised by my loving hands), alliances and enemies formed and they grouped in different corners. Now after several generations I have two main groups, the barn chickens and the garage chickens. It's fascinating to watch chicken politics at work. I'm hoping to repatriate the garage chickens into the barn this spring.

    OJDad, do get a few hens and enjoy them. They are well worth the mess (chicken manure is wonderful for hot beds) - and harvesting hen fruit is a joy.

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  5. The are not the brightest bulb in the box but it's sure nice to get fresh eggs and every now and the chicken and dumplings! FK

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  6. Phyllis (N/W Jersey)February 7, 2012 at 12:18 PM

    Just love chicken stories! Mine wait at their pen gate until I bring them their nightly treat of raisins. Ethel jumps up and down flapping her wings, her beady eyes fixed on my hands. Lucy just waits for hers like a refined queen and Charlie stands by to make sure his ladies get first dibs.
    Orange Jeep Dad: Go for it! You'll never regret having them. The poopies are worth it! I'm down to only three now, but I can hardly wait for April and the chicken expo - going to get more. (for some strange reason, my current girls only give me roosters)!

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  7. We have a pair that is like that, too. Not Barred Rocks but Faverolles. Every night they are out either eating or dirt bathing while everyone else has gone to bed, including the Barred Rocks who are far more dignified than to stay out late. Silly birds, each with their own quirky personality! :-)

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  8. lol, i dont have chickens but i like the idea of solar lights...i have two dogs that will not even go into their doghouse during bad weather...they are now senior citizens and live in the house with papa and me. but, i think i am gonna get a couple solar garden lights to put next to their doghouse...maybe when they are lounging around outside on pretty days or outside when we are away, they will see the welcoming glow and take advantage of some nice shelter if needed.

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  9. OJ Dad,

    I too was on the chicken sidelines until Patrice gave up the goods in her "Chicken Basics" post in January of last year. By the end of February, I had nine chicks. A year later now and I have to say its one of the best experiences of my life. Patrice has often posted about "communing with the chickens"...talk about the best time ever! Our girls are in a large "run" and there's nothing better than "chickenvision" instead of the trash on TV these days! The added plus, with an average of 5 eggs a day from our 8 girls (we lost one), we're that much closer to self-sufficiency. Try it, you'll like it!

    -Nina

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  10. I often go out to feed the dogs before bed and find a hen roosting on the wood box beside the door. I tuck her under my arm and take her to the hen house and put her on a roost. I wouldn't mind them roosting near the door except for the poo they leave there.

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  11. I don't have chickens and where I live it isn't practical...but the solar powered comment and the stories make me a little jealous...=)

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