Be Careful What You Wish For

Have you ever flipped a coin to see what you really feel? It goes like this … Heads – choice #1 – Tails – Choice #2. Flip the coin … Then when you see what comes up … check how you feel about that choice. That happened here today. I was out visiting the jennies in the barn – bringing them a treat to help them feel a bit better having been chased inside by the bugs. I could hear the Guineas … they sure sounded close…

Yep – they were OUT! For quite a while now I have been leaving the gate and an exit through the fencing open to encourage them to explore their free range territory. Each day they would watch me talk to them through the gaps … but make no move to head out. Well there they were.

And what did I do? I hovered around and followed them for a good two hours! When they steered toward the road I would talk them back. When they headed to our neighbours through the brush I called them back. When they couldn’t figure out how to get back into the paddock I used two rakes to make a chute for them to follow. The whole idea is for them to free range! Ha! I was a bundle of nerves about it now that it finally happened. Eventually I decided I should just go about my chores and every now and again go find them and talk to them for a bit. They seemed to run toward me if I had been out of sight for a while. Six thirty rolled around rather quickly and I had to head indoors for dinner. While we ate we watched them scurrying – four bodies – one mind – across the front gardens. They scoped out the end of the driveway as a car went by – phew – and turned back.

I studiously focused on some artwork at my desk … inside … until it started to get dark. Then with my heart in my hands I put on my bug gear and ventured out back. I could hear them … that was a good sign. Before I got very far I realized I was hearing the same timbre of calls I usually hear … when they are in the coop.

And there they were! It worked! I am going to sleep tonight! 😉