This is a brief post on how my Americauna hen escapes the coop everyday and expects me to let her back in when I get home from work. But first an update on the status of my backyard flock.
I have a backyard coop that now houses twelve hens and two roosters. The roosters are a large white Leghorn rooster and an even bigger hand raised Barred Rock rooster. The hens are seven Barred Rock ladies, two Americauna ladies and two mixed hens one that is red and appears to be a Rhode Island variety and one that is mostly white with some tan in her that resembles a Leghorn. The Barred Rock hens lay brown cocoa colored eggs and the Americauna hens lay greenish blue eggs. The lighter colored hen lays pink colored eggs and the Rhode Island looking one lays brownish eggs. That's the makeup of my chicken family. I've raised all but three from chicks or eggs.
Anyway, back to Houdini. She started escaping about a month ago and no matter what attempts I make to prevent her from getting out she mysteriously escapes. Someday I'll figure it out. She spends her day out and about in the yard scavenging for bugs and worms and such. She's the healthiest of the hens with her extra nutrition gathered from the yard. When I drive up she sees me and wobbles her way in my direction and follows me to the coop entrance to reunite with her family. I think they are jealous but then again they are chickens. I've discovered that it's healthy for the yard for her to explore and scratch for the bugs. I think the rest would be able to explore as well if my house wasn't so close to a highway in the city.
It's my opinion that if you have a Houdini hen it's ok. She is healthy for the yard and as long as she gets back into the safety of the roost at night she'll do more good than harm. So let her roam! Enjoy the individual nature of each of your backyard flock family.
Until next time.
Travis
