[threeranger]

Well it looks like we didn't clip the two new girls wings very well ! This pic is them attempting to roost in the oak tree in their run tonight, just like their ancestors !

They came from a barn where they roosted a few feet up, maybe the ground level Eglu they have exclusive use of, is a bit too low for them !

To give you an idea of height, this is about 7ft off the ground, we think they got onto a lower branch and hopped their way up - was quite an amusing sight to be greeted with at door closing time 

[pigeonpie]

Oh bless then!  They look really happy up there.  How on earth did you get them down?

[Casey76]

You're lucky you can still reach them... I have 9 growers which are currently almost 20 feet up my apple tree.  I can't reach them to put them in their (nice, cosy, clean, parasite free) house!

[pigeonpie]

And to think my girls complained to me that I'd put the roosting perches too high in their new house - the highest one is about 16 inches off the floor!!!

[threeranger]

Haha,

Pigeonpie, luckily i'm 6ft2 ish, so it was just a case of creeping up and then a firm grab, but it was a bit tricky with branches sticking in my ribs !

Casey - is that every night or just tonight ? Saves you having to get up early to let them out i suppose 

[nicky d]

time to cut the branches off   lol lol xxx

[threeranger]

haha....same again tonight, even higher and more awkward, but I won in the end !

once they were inside, out came the saw, let's see if i did enough for tomorrow night !

[pigeonpie]

once they were inside, out came the saw, let's see if i did enough for tomorrow night !

I hope you meant the saw to chop the branches off and not to clip their wings!!!!  Ha ha 

[joyfull]

I have about 10 or so that roost in trees (usually 20+ feet up so at 5 feet tall I stand very little chance of getting them out of trees). Most of my tree roosters do come back to the coops in winter when the trees lose their leaves but Claudette just moves from the apple tree she lives in over to a row of laurels which not only are they about 15 feet high but about 10 feet deep so no chance of getting her  . Still when they are that high they are safe from foxes and luckily I don't have buzzards etc here.

[evie2]

  aren't chickens wonderful 

[threeranger]

It gets more amusing each night....

Tonight they were about 9ft up despite my tree surgeon efforts last night !

I wish we could relax and leave them there, but one hop from that tree and they would be out of the run ! (yep it's uncovered but 7ft high with a lip top and bottom - covering it would be a complex job !)

A change in strategy is needed - need to outwit them somehow 

[evie2]

what you need is one of the 'tree people' from the peak, they know all about that sort of thing

[threeranger]

Haha, I think the next step is to pop down the local fancy dress shop and see if they have any tree costumes 

If that works, then Casey and Joyfull can hire me out too....

Time to change my name to tree-ranger me thinks 

[nicky d]

Just logged on, i knew they would out smart you lol lol, bless,  hope youve got back up plans, good luck for tonight.  nickyx

[threeranger]

Night no.5.....let's go for the element of surprise....

This time i went out 45 mins earlier.....

One in the tree !
The other in.....
The Fuschia bush !

Not sure if that's progress 

Also, this morning I checked on them just before leaving for work and one of them had rebelliously gone up into the tree again....singing away, watching me, as if to signal a long battle of minds lays ahead.

Tune in again - same time tomorrow.....gripping stuff isn't it.....a bit like their feet on those branches