If anyone thinks that chickens are a no-maintenance pet that only require some water and scratch thrown on the ground they’ve got another thing coming. On the contrary, they challenge us to keep on our toes and in return provide us with lots of stories to share with our fellow chicken keepers.
Maryann Wadden
I need to brag about myself.
After spending seven hours trying to help this baby chick hatch (everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong and she would have died – ‘survival of the fittest’, blah blah blah whatever, I don’t care, be triggered if you must). She was finally starting to fluff up in the incubator. Then, BOOM. The power went out. I didn’t notice till I got up to check on her and realized the incubator was off. She wasn’t moving and was barely breathing – it had been off for a while and was down to 80°F.
I grabbed her, still not fully dry, threw on a sweatshirt and then a down jacket in 90°F weather, and stuffed her against my chest. I sat there for two hours. I was literally on my way to a motel with a heat lamp and the rest of my sanity because I was worried I would fall asleep and squish her when the power went back on.
So this is what my life has become. Now I’m paranoid the power’s going to go out again so I’ll be setting my alarm for every thirty minutes until the sun comes up. I’m getting a backup battery tomorrow and a battery powered heating pad.
I know she looks dead. This was right after I got her out of her shell. She’s fine now. This little baby has a will to survive, that’s for sure.
Tara Lynn Miller
When you have to move halfway across country and you don’t want to, but you get to take your chickens and ducks. Then on the day before the move your best girl goes broody. You can’t put her in with the rest or they will kill each other. What to do? Guess she rides in the truck next to Mama. Yes, she’s got eggs under her and she snuggled right down next to me flat as a pancake. If it was my truck they’d all be in the cab with me, but alas it was enough to convince them to let me put mama here in the back with me. I just refused to go otherwise.
Anonymous
My husband and I were a little buzzed when we made the decision. He has always wanted to camp out in the yard so it worked out nicely. I know chicken people will appreciate this post. It was our chickens’ first night in the coop and my husband agreed to camp out in the run. I was joking at first and he didn’t hesitate!
Connie S
About a year ago, there was a skunk in my chicken coop! I walked right in, almost on top of it before I saw it. Needless to say, I ran like hell back out. They were cute though.
I went back out. Put my coat on to protect part of me just in case it sprayed and used my phone for a flashlight. I grabbed the snow shovel, still not sure why. Slowly walked back out to the coop checking all around for the little guy. Picture me in purple and pink polka dot PJ pants, a red coat with the hood zipped up to my chin, phone in one hand and a snow shovel in the other. I’ve got my chicken coop boots on. Yes, that was me. The skunk was gone. I slowly checked inside the coop. I closed them up and walked very quickly back to the house. Crisis averted and chickens are okay.
Molly Barragán
This is how my boyfriend handles the baby when she won’t leave his phone alone. He says it’s an arm workout.
Lanay Fonda
Tonight’s check on the chicken report:
Go to put the chickens away and find the snake that has been stealing the eggs. Seriously, like we’re missing a 12-18 eggs a week. It’s probably more than one snake but I found a snake on its way into the coop. So naturally I had to get this snake relocated, with an egg because you know it needs lunch to go. I was holding the snaky and I was trying to get my husband to get the duck out of the chicken coop.
Husband: Screams, scaring the snake who decided to musk on me.
Me: Yell at husband. “Quit scaring the snake.”
Husband: Exasperated look
Me: “Okay, fine we’ll take care of the snake, then come back and get the duck.
Relocate snake to neighbours’ yard with egg. Come back, get the duck out of the chicken coop and relocate to duck coop. Then into the house to give medicine to the duck that daughter brought into the house. Take duck from house and the dog, because he needs the exercise. Go back to the garden that is serving as a duck pen right now. With a flashlight because, now, it’s completely dark. Put duck in hutch. Get husband to help me herd the rest of the ducks into the hutch. And no, I didn’t tell the neighbour. He’s on vacation.
Thanks to everyone who shared their stories and photos. Featured photo: Haidy Mansfield
Bitchin' Chickens 
Get a generator! We have both a solar gen as well as a propane generator!
LikeLiked by 1 person