The Chicken Chronicles – The Eviction

Other posts in this series:

• The Beginning
• The Surprise 
• The New Kids on the Block
• The Eviction (this post)
• Thelma and Louise’s Last Adventure
• Making New Friends
• The Pretty Birds Join the Brood
• The Attack
• Kidnapped!
• A New Home

Yes, we had five roosters, somewhat unwanted roosters.  We hated to break up our little family of chickens; they seemed so happy together as a large family of seven and then nine (Though the Leghorns kept to themselves still.).  But about the time we thought those boys would start crowing any day, we decided it was time for them to move on to a better home.

This was an end to the innocence for our little Rhode Island Reds.

Chad spent what seemed like a long time chasing the chickens around the yard to capture the little roosters.  He knew a woman south of town who had the space and an interest in the roosters, so Chad drove away with the caged birds in the back of the pickup, to take them to their new home in the country.

In my every-chicken-story-should-have-a-happy-ending mind, they live there still, crowing at dawn, strutting around with beautiful feathers, and living a happy life of freedom.

It was my hope that, if that wasn’t going to be the case for them, someone who could handle the butchering process better than we could would enjoy a blessing of free, fresh chicken to eat.

It was a real possibility that wild animals may have enjoyed the meat first, but I don’t dwell on that.

So, the boys were gone – and now our brown little hens were rather terrified!  They wouldn’t come near us like they used to.  They seemed traumatized by the chasing and then the loss of their brothers.  I can’t blame them, but it made us a little sad.  They no longer seemed as happy and were plagued with worry, despite our diligent care and their fine accommodations.

They seemed to keep close together and away from the Leghorns, especially Wilhelmina.   Chad named them Thelma and Louise…

More to come!

~Dana

P.S. If you’re interested in the possibility of having your own chickens, check out this post from Soulsby Farm that describes the benefits and what you need to get started.   http://soulsbyfarm.wordpress.com/2012/02/04/why-everyone-should-own-chickens/

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