Why I Shouldn't Be Out After Dark

I got home from my book club meeting about 8:15; already very dark now. I went out to lock the chicken house up, and found the gate to the chicken yard closed, so they couldn't get in, to go in the house. All the chickens were perched in a lawn chair and on top of the fan I prop up on the lawn chair for circulation on hot nights in the chicken house. They were crammed in tight like sardines. It was too dark to get them to go in the house or for them to find the roosts in it, so I had to go find our emergency lantern and set it in the chicken house to light it up in there enough for the chickens to find their way around. Then I had to carry each chicken and put them in the house. They complained a lot, but were too groggy to do very much else. I'm pretty sure they remember the last time I roused them out of a sound sleep: when I caught Roger Rooster and his girlfriend and crammed them in a large tote. (to be sold to the feed store the next day)
Anyway, the girls found their way to the roosts, and all was well. I usually put a rock in front of the gate when I let them out to roam the property, so it doesn't blow shut, but I was distracted today.

Those darn chickens!
I have one hen loose in the yard. I let everybody out this afternoon, first time since June because the garden is now just mature tomato plants and kale.
Everybody had gone in for the night so I went out (in my jammies) to close the gate and one nosy girl heard me coming and figured I must have dessert so she jumped out of the coop and ran out the gate. I couldn't cajole her back in before the others started coming out, and I don't want another trip out there tonight, so I just shut her out.

I'm sure she'll be fine. (fingers crossed)

I got distracted yesterday evening and forgot to close and lock up the coop. My heart sank when I went to open them this morning and the door open with not a chicken in sight... I found mom and chicks tearing up the overgrown bit next to the driveway and the rest of the flock tearing up MIL's garden. Oops.. But thankfully everyone is accounted for!

Yesterday I changed my routine. I've got a broody with 3 day old chicks. Yesterday was the first day I let them roam with the flock so I put rocks in the waterers so the chicks can drink from them without drowning. I've also got a dozen 9 week olds sleeping in my grow-out coop. The grow-out coop is next to the main coop/run but on the other side of the electric netting and next to the compost pile. I've got to walk all the way around that netting to let them out. It was mid-afternoon when I took some stuff to the compost that I noticed they were still locked up. I totally forgot about them. They had food and water so they were OK, still that water was almost gone.

As long as I stick to my routine I'm OK, but when I change it I forget things.

the last few nights i've been a little late getting everyone i let out into the full yard back into the coop. by the time i've gotten to Sunny, Chickie and the girls they are all perched on top of my non-rocking chair with Chickie sitting in the seat (that's as close as he gets to being part of the flock). good thing most are bantams and very compliant. i just put my arm behind their butts and they will step back onto my arm(s) and readily go into their coop space for the night. and Chickie just gets the special treatment and carried in my arms all by himself! he's such a pampered rooster!

Yep, she was scratching around in the garden and I had to get something really tasty to lure her back in the pen.

When my mom was still living with us, we got a sitter for overnight and came back the next day. I had told the sitter that it was ok to let the chickens out and showed her how to prop the door open. Well.....she shut the door. When we got home, I opened the door to let the girls back in for food and water. They were about to blow their butts off from holding in their eggs all day! They fought for position in the nest box, lots of loud clucking and arguing, but they got right down to business and laid eggs REAL fast!

I have had the coop door blow closed. I go out to shut the door and Nesco comes stomping around the corner complaining -- in his dinosaur dialect -- that he can't get his girls to bed and it must be my fault.

My bigger problem is remembering to let them out in the morning before I get busy with work. I've driven the mower past the coop at 2:00 pm or later to be reminded they want OUT.