Getting the run around

Argghhhhhh!!!!!

Simon let the big chickens out this morning since they were up and about, the babies were still sitting in their nesting box (or perhaps intimidated to stay there).

Later on I decided to let them out and see how they went. They were happy for a while until I tried to put them away and we lost them both over each of the neighbours fences. I managed to get my one back and Simon eventually found his one. One then made the mistake of running towards the other two who were busy in their usual spot - the big girls then bailed it up against the chicken wire fence that the neighbour had up from previously owning chickens and the wee thing managed to push her way through the gap of the wire by bailing her up against the wire fence (was about 10cm diametre). Simon was out so I had to wait till he got home just before 5pm to get her back (in the 4hrs she was over there she hid in a bush and then as dusk started to fall she began walking up and down the fenceline trying to get back) with the help of the neighbour. Only then (phew!) she flew into a huge compacted pile of tree brances and mulch and burrowed in so we had to lift that up to pick her out. Finally both were inside and after they'd calmed and eaten I let the big girls back in who only bailed them up for about 10mins tonight before they all put themselves to bed.

We are contemplating putting up a moveable wire partition for use during the day if I need to coop them in so they can exist next to each other, see each other and hopefully start to get on. I will just move them between sides to get into bed etc.

I had a very unproductive day stressing over the situation!