The power of a raised index finger

While the Mini-Handlers were visiting for the holidays, I supervised the building (or re-building) of the chicken coop. It was a grueling task keeping them on task, but someone had to do it.

Nostra, the dog, was marginally helpful.

There were a few breaks where I positioned myself for maximum gain.

After about a week of building, the coop was done in time to visit the agricultural auction which happens the second Saturday of every month.

The Handlers inspected the offerings ahead of time. Being novices, they knew barely enough to confirm that the majority of the chickens up for auction were the hybrid layers. Never having participated in an auction, they watched as ducks, parakeets, parrots (ok, why?!?! This country is full of parrots), rabbits, and even two donkeys were put up for auction. Should you have an itch on your nose at the moment the auctioneer is looking at you, you best hope that whatever is being auctioned has a subsequent bid after you scratched your nose, otherwise it's YOURS. And it could be an entire flock of whatever or a 20 kilo bag of potatoes!

Mini-Female Handler was brave enough to lift her index finger, and ...then 6 hens became THEIRS.

A couple of things have come out of this experience....
1. These lovely ladies are beyond their egg laying days which would explain why they were only US$4.00 for all 6 chickens.
2. The way that ladder is configured above, they spent DAYS not bothering to venture up into the coop. This was later re-worked and they no longer have such an incline... (yes, Senior Female-Handler, we heard you...).
3. Because these fine ladies are just a tad old (ok, REALLY old), the Handlers are making them as comfortable as possible, and in turn are providing the Handlers with some wonderful fertilizer and keeping the insect population at bay.
4. Best to keep the screen on the rain barrel securely in place. Yes...you guessed it... (and yes, it was sad!).

The ladies are let out of the coop area every day. They enjoy coming to the front porch and clucking away as the Handlers eat breakfast there. In addition to clucking, they do a bit of scattering.

And a bit of resting.

Before the goats are brought in at the end of the day, the ladies know that they need to go back to their garden as the gate will be secured in place to prevent any fox from having an evening snack.

Then Female Handler makes the rounds raking the mulch back into its proper spot...and the cycle begins the next day.