Houston, We Have A Problem

Lucy, chief barnyard troublemaker.  This evening, she decided roosting on the gate would be a good idea.  NOT.

My oh my.  Things have gotten out of control in the barnyard.  The teenagers, Lucy and Ethel, are rebelling.  They’re acting out.  They’re getting into trouble.  They need to to know that their behavior is NOT OK. I’m thinking about grounding them. Literally.

First it was Lucy roosting on the treehouse.  And I thought, you know, that’s ok. Marching to the beat of a different drummer and all. I can respect a chicken who wants to live a little.  However, Lucy didn’t stop there.

She got Ethel to join her.  Now, most nights I have TWO chickens up in the tree.  Still I thought, ok, a girl’s gotta have a friend to hang out with in the evening.  I can accept that.

Snug as two bugs in a rug.

Then one day I came home and they were hanging out on the roof of the coop, like they ditched school and went to the mall.  And it didn’t happen just once.  And not just the coop roof.  The garage roof, too.  And perimeter fences.

Ethel looks like, Remind me again why we’re up here?

Atop the 6′ fence bordering the driveway.  I’m Queen of the World!

THEN they started talking to the other girls, saying “Hey, this flying thing is fun, you should try it!”  So now I’ve got chickens walkin’ around on the dog house and the fence.  Oh, no worries, I thought.  I’ve got a crazy little flock in the barnyard!  I LOVE crazy!

Sarah’s trying out the tree in the barnyard. She’s only mildly adventurous.

Scarlett hangin’ out on the fence. Good view, she says!

The day I came home and found Lucy and Ethel in the backyard, THAT’S the day I started to worry.  It’s happened more than once.  Thank goodness Keela only looks at them, looks at me, and goes, “Um, are they supposed to be on my side of the fence?” and lays down while I run around the backyard trying to catch them.  It’s a big backyard.  They’re REALLY hard to catch.

I went outside and found them wandering on the patio.  Keela looked at me like I was letting children play in traffic.

I realized we’re in danger territory now.  I actually trust Keela to leave them alone.  But if they fly across the fence on the other side of the barnyard, our neighbor’s dog Lucky (who I love) might not be so understanding.

As if ALL OF THIS wasn’t enough, we came home late last night and I couldn’t find Lucy or Ethel.  Not in the coop, not in the shed, not in the treehouse, not on top of the garage.  I shined the spotlight in every nook and cranny of the barnyard.  I looked everywhere, I thought. Then I looked up again.  WAY UP.  I saw Ethel in the tree a good 10′ above the treehouse. Still no Lucy.  I walked around to the other side of the tree and spotted Lucy A GOOD 15 FEET ABOVE ETHEL.

This is truly way, WAY up in the tree.  The squirrels are a little scared when they’re up this high.

What in the heck is she thinking?

I know I could clip her wings and solve the problem.  Oh, but I love her spirit and that’s a solution that can’t be reversed.  I would miss what she’s going to think up next.  On the other hand, she won’t get hurt if I do it.

I’m gonna hafta think about this.  Maybe I’ll have a little heart to heart talk with her.  Think she’ll listen?

(Shared at Clever Chicks Hop, Homestead Barn Hop, Backyard Farming Connection Hop, Tuesdays With A Twist, Frugal Days Sustainable Ways, Down Home Blog Hop, HomeAcre Hop, From the Farm Hop, Little House Friday DIY Linky! and Farmgirl Friday Hop!)