Warm, Cozy Bed and Raccoon

Enough leaves?

Today, for the first time in three weeks, exbf came up and helped me do things. He does not refill the hens' boxes each week. Sometimes, he just puts more leaves and pine straw on top of the old.

 

The bottom Rubbermaid box is where they lay. Sleeping happens upstairs. When the laying box is this full of straw and leaves, I have to feel around for eggs. I really think Thelma and Patsy Cline hide the eggs. If they laid eggs and left, they still would roll around and down to the side of the box. However, the eggs are so deep that I actually cannot see an egg, maybe just 1/2 inch of egg.

 

At any rate they will snuggle down into the leaves and pine straw and make themselves comfortable on a cold night. They have never had a roost.

 

Last Wednesday about 4:45, I could see the day was losing light. It was beyond the time that the hens would be out. Usually, they come near the back door, then move to the area in front of their pen, then into the pen. Finally, they jump on the table and sit and look at the dying day. Then, they jump up to the top box.

 

This night, they were at the back door just standing there, like they needed me. I talked to them and went toward their pen. As I rounded the corner of the house, I say a very large cat...was that a cat? No, it was a raccoon running out of their pen. I kept walking and then hens followed, making frightened noises, like they were questioning me. They stopped about ten feet from their pen and looked around. I moved between their door and the raccoon sitting on the fence watching us. As I moved between the raccoon and door, the hens ran quickly into their pen. I slammed the door and left. sigh....

 

I need to set the trap.

 

Tonight for the hens it's "clean sheet night."

 

Your turn

Do your hens roost or sit the sleep? Do you use what you have for their pens or do you buy "bedding" for them.