Last night around 8:30pm I did my final rounds in the barnyard. Eight chickens in the coop? Check. Raise the chicken food? Check. Lock the coop door? Check.
Moved on to the goat shed. Two chickens? Yep. Doink and Brandy already sound asleep? Of course. The younger goats were still hanging out in the barnyard. They like to stay up late.
Next, on to the new chicken shed housing the mamas, teenagers and babies. I flipped the pop door closed and locked it, then went in to check on everyone. As usual, Jessie came up and tried to get in, too. I slid the door closed before he could stick his nosey head in. Pumpkin came over to see what was going on and started a little “I push you, you push me” game with Jessie. Those silly goats.
I like to spend a little time with these chickens in the evening. I love watching the teenagers crowd the nesting box with Rapunzel. They really don’t fit anymore, but it is so sweet to seem them all squashed in there together.
That’s a full box o’ chickens!
Then into the nursery side of the shed to check on the babies. Now they all stick their heads out from under Jasmine to see what’s going on when they hear me. I’m glad they’re getting comfortable with me being around.
Hello, mama! Hello, two brave babies!
With everyone present and accounted for, I closed the inside nursery door and went to slide the outside door open.
It did not move.
I tried again. Nope.
I very quickly realized the goats had somehow flipped the latch on the door during their play. I was locked in the shed.
Whoo Hoo! We locked her in! Hahahahaa!
After a minute of futzing with the door, I realized I was not getting out myself. Thank god I had my phone. Very Excellent Husband Don wasn’t home, so I called my neighbor. She wasn’t home, but the kids were. A few minutes later, I heard my rescuer Henry open the gate and softly call out, “Uh, Joan?”
Thank you, Henry! Thank you, cell phone! (I actually went back into the house to grab my phone when I headed out to the barnyard. Boy, am I lucky!)
Looking all innocent. What? Me? Lock you in? No way!
(Shared at From the Farm Hop, Old-Fashioned Fridays, HomeAcre Hop, Simple Lives Thursday, Down Home Hop, Backyard Farming Connection, Tuesdays With A Twist, Maple Hill Hop, Homestead Barn Hop, Clever Chicks Hop, Homesteaders Hop, Simple Saturdays and Farmgirl Friday)
Joan, I just received a Facebook posting from RealFarmacy.com, and they claim that in some of the western states, and they included Colorado as one where it is illegal to collect your own rainwater, as it belongs to someone else?! Is this true, or is this just another anti-government movement on the part of RealFarmacy?
Water laws in the West are complicated, and Colorado is no different. Many of our water laws date back to the mid 1800’s. Water shares fetch a high price, and the vast amounts of water that go into fracking are also having an impact. I believe some laws regarding rainwater collection were revised in 2009, but I’m not sure exactly how.
I do know it has never been illegal to direct the water that comes out of your downspouts after a rain directly onto a law or garden for irrigation. It has been illegal to store it in rain barrels for later use, but I don’t know if it still is.
I’ve been locked in the coop before as well but didn’t have my phone. Thankfully I was able to yell loud and long enough for Shelby to hear me in the house… Every since then I take my phone.
I super LOVE those babies and their mama’s. I have two broody hens right now. One is approaching week three so she will be getting 1 day old chicks as soon as they come in Friday I hope. The other is only starting her second week so maybe in another she’ll get some too. So fun!
Jen recently posted…An Impromptu Break
Ooooh what a good lesson. I never take my phone when I go out to see my chickens, but I’m going to start! What a great post – funny as ever. Thank you. 🙂
Cath recently posted…Jul 7, Mocha, the hen who loved to cluck.
That’s a funny story, Joan. Thank goodness for cell phones!
Oh, how funny! I’m sure glad you grabbed your cell phone! Silly goats! Thanks for sharing at Simple Lives Thursday! 🙂
Kara @ Home With Purpose recently posted…Flourish: Balance for Homeschool Moms (Review Crew)