October 22, 2012: The First Storm

I heard we had our first rain storm of the season coming in today.  I was filled with elation for the land, but kinda scared about how the chickens would fare.  Was the coop really water proof?  Would the wind drive the rain up their ramp into the roosting area? 

Don't laugh, I've read so much about how the worst thing for a chicken, besides hatching at Foster Farms, is get wet and cold.

Wind and rain started during the night.  The coop was out on the lawn, up against a hedge and under our big tree.  I woke up to the sound of the rain gutters doing a fine job, accompanied by a cacophony of drips.  Then I heard the girls calling. 

You see they were born on May 29th up in the foothills which is a dry area in Summer, and probably not experienced rain before.  I hopped up out of bed, woke up Cal and we suited up for a coop move.

First we had to clear and stack the patio furniture, that part was easy.  I checked the girls and they were downstairs inside the coop, sitting together.  Clearly their main concern was breakfast. 

After deliberation and discussion, translation let's do it this way, we managed to get them upstairs and to lift the coop onto the patio under the roof.  I checked the nesting and roost area which was warm and dry.  The girls felt dry and warm, and hit the Scratch with gusto when I fed them.

Now they are tucked in safe and sound, and I'm going back to bed on this rainy blustery morning.  Winter is approaching, and I'm thinking of a way of bringing the girls inside when it gets cold and wet and windy. P.S. Barbara laid another egg.  That makes 6.