Renegade chickens

We have 7 game mix chickens (4 are roosters) that hatched out last summer under their renegade mother hen. They were all staying in the smaller peep house they grew up in until one night when the front door had swung shut and they were not smart enough to realize the back door was still open. That night, they decided to camp out in the cedar tree just outside the chicken yard and close to the house. The next night, I made sure the doors to their house were open. They decided they liked the tree better. I tried to shoo them out of the tree with a rake. It worked, but then they just headed to the larger tree on the other side of the garden. They've never gone back to the house. Through wind, rain, snow, and ice, they roost in that tree every night. One day, I noticed the black hen was missing. I looked around and could not find her, so I figured something had gotten her. A week later, a saw her out in the yard. Later that day, she was gone again. This had been the case for a few weeks. I searched the woods looking for her. No sign of her. I figured she had gone broody like her momma had, but I could not find any sign of her or a nest of eggs. Finally, one early morning I saw her in the yard again and decided to keep a close watch. I watched until I saw her disappear under the front porch. I got the flashlight and got down on my knees to look under the porch. Sure enough, she was there sitting on a nest. I've been watching for the last week for any sign of chicks. Tonight after feeding the horses, goats and other chickens, I was heading back up onto the porch and decided to check on her. She was still sitting on the nest. Just as I was about to get back up, I noticed half of an egg shell about a foot from her. The chicks were hatching! I couldn't let her stay under there to hatch out the chicks. I knew if I did, once they were all out, she would take them off and never let me near them. With rain coming tomorrow and the next day, I knew I had to get them tonight. I took the x-large dog kennel I have and placed pine shavings in it. I placed it up on the covered front porch and placed a waterer in it. Then, my 8 year old daughter, Sarah, held the flashlight while I low crawled under the porch to get the hen. Good thing I had gloves on. She was not happy about that. I'm sure she would have pecked out my eyes had I let her. Low crawling backwards with a "mad as hell" hen in one hand was interesting. I got her out and placed her in a small animal carrier while my daughter took the initiative to crawl under the porch to start collecting the 2 chicks that had already hatched and the other 10 that had not yet hatched. We placed them in the kennel and let the upset hen in with them. She immediately went to the eggs and sat on them then called the 2 chicks over to her. With everyone settled down, we left her to watch over her brood.

Spring is near

The days are getting a little warmer. It's 62 outside according to my weather channel app on the computer, though with the wind whipping around out there, it feels like 53, which is what my indoor/outdoor weather station is reporting. On days like this, I keep a close eye on the trees on our property. We have several Virginia pines that are ready to fall. I can't believe with the ice, snow and winds, they haven't already fallen. A few have here and there, but luckily none by the house or animal areas. I have several black walnut trees around the house and animal housing areas that are very old and have dead limbs. Those are the ones I dread the most. Those limbs are heavy. I've had some fall already that have landed on fencing. I have been trying to find someone who will cut them down and remove them. Black walnut is expensive timber. No luck yet with that. I'm half tempted to climb up and cut the limbs down myself. I'll refrain for the time being. With the temps slowly rising, I am anxious to start on my various projects. I have trees to clear, new fencing to install, new housing for the chickens to build, along with chicken runs.
My chickens had started wandering over to the neighbors yard. I have 5 acres for them to wander, and they have to go next door. So, for now, I have a run attached to the front of their house. I may have to invest in the electric poultry fence. It would have been nice if this place was already an established farm when we bought it. It was an old house, but other than the neighbors cows that used to run on the property, I don't believe it housed any farm life. We've been here 3 years and have added housing and fencing as we expanded our farm. It has gone through several changes and adaptations, and this Spring, it will undergo more. I have big plans this year. Relocating all of the chicken houses is one of those. Once I build/rebuild their houses and set up their fencing, I will re-do the pasture fence for the horses/ponies. Several trees are down, more need to come down. I have my work cut out for me just with that. I plan on building a new house for the turkeys and let the goats use the current turkey house.

More to come....spring is near.