Chicken Stampede!!!!!!

First an update of yesterday's event with the neighbor dog. All the chickens are fine today. I had a talk with the neighbor Dad and explained what happened. He was very apologetic, offered to replace my hen, and told me that when he got home the kids were gone leaving the new dog inside the house. They didn't leave a note or call him to let him know what had happened. He was very embarrassed and might I say a lot mad at the kids for not saying anything! I told him that if he was going to let the dog out to please let me know so I can lock my chickens up. He told me that I didn't have to lock up my own chickens on my own place just because of his dog. He will make sure that the incident of yesterday will not repeat itself. Oh, and while the dog was left alone it ate their big window mini blinds, part of the living room chair, etc.... He was not a happy camper!! On to today's event. Since it is a beautiful Spring day, and the chicks are getting bigger I thought it was time they venture out of the coop into the big world. Well, sort of the big world. I have an x-pen that I put around the door of the coop to keep them from wandering off too far.

Oh my they were so happy to get out. Little Inger and Bonnie were talking away and the chicks were just a chirpin'. They all started doing the chicken scratch dance. They were all so happy. I stood there watching them enjoy their first day 'out'.

This is the x-pen.
As I am standing there getting a kick out of watching them, the next thing I know one of the chicks was squeezing itself through the wire! As I was pulling that one back a second one did it, then a third. Of course all at different places! So here it is I am grabbing chicks left and right only to notice that Shortbus has seen what is going on and is seriously considering young chicken dinner! By this time three chicks have escaped out of the pen. Little Inger is frantic because her babies are out of reach. The babies are screaming because they can't find their way back in.

I ended up putting the remaining chicks, Little Inger and Bonnie back into the coop. Then opened the side of the x-pen and shoo'ed the chicks back, opened the coop door and in ran the chicks. Yes. Yes, it was a chicken stampede.
As you can see in the expression on Shortbus he was a bit disgruntled he didn't get a meal.

I walked back into the house to grab the camera and I see a line of donkeys along the side of the chicken coop fence. Apparently they were standing there the whole time watching the chicken stampede!

Until next time......................