They Wait

The flock gathered by the front door this morning so they could walk with me to the barn, where breakfast is served.  Their automated coop door opens at first light, and when I glanced through the windows, I could see them roaming the yard and fields searching for snacks.  By the time I'm ready for morning chores, there they are, waiting for me.  How do they know when to gather?  

Puck readies himself for a dramatic exit.  He loves to scatter the flock as he runs and barks and they go flapping for safety.  We call it bowling for chickens.  

I left work early yesterday with the thought that I would celebrate the newly arrived spring by planting vegetable seeds in the greenhouse.  Instead, I celebrated by taking a nap on the couch with the cats - doh!  The lazy cats couldn't keep me long though, and I was able to focus on vegetables long enough to plant a carton of tomato seeds and thin the tiny basil sprouts.   

The warm evening sun found me out in the pasture with the herd, admiring the new fencing arrangement.   The goats now have their very own grassy exercise yard, and Rufus has a small paddock attached to his stall.  Some blue gates were reallocated, and now I can decide who has access to the larger pasture.   It was nice to see the goats lounging in the sun and Rufus nibbling grass on the other side of the fence.  Not that watching Rufus chase the goats and force Dark River to submit to his affections isn't entertaining, but it is less relaxing.  Especially when he starts using his teeth to bite his neck and Dark River cries to be rescued.  

Rufus has a brand new lead rope.  It's blue.  

We took a walk with the new lead rope, and tried it out on several posts.  We decided we should probably practice being tied every day, if we can.  I can tell he enjoys the attention.  When he sees me with the halter he walks right up to me and sticks his nose out so I can buckle it on.  If I crouch down to his level, he lets me touch his front legs and lift his feet.  I don't like to crouch near the back feet, and he doesn't like me to hover over his back feet.  I hope that we can learn to trust each other.