Hoophouse Chickens

Last week I wrote about the new pen Tom was making for the chickens.  It was going to connect their main pen with the hoophouse.  Then, he was going to open the hoophouse up to where they could get in there and help him clear out the weeds.

Here is a picture of what it looked like from the west side while he was building it.

You can see one corner of the hoophouse in this picture.  Notice how we roll the sides of it up during hot weather.  Notice, as well, all the weeds growing inside it!  

Tom got the pen part finished.  Then, he put chicken wire along the sides of the hoophouse to keep the chickens inside.  Finally, it was all finished and he was ready to turn the chickens loose in it.

They have been very curious about what he was doing out there and they were eager to follow him inside once he opened the door to the hoophouse.  Here are some pictures of them once inside.

Tom has been digging out a lot of the grass himself.  He is also removing some cement blocks that he used last year to create a raised bed in which he grew sweet potatoes.  Once the blocks are removed, then he'll be able to get the rototiller in there and till the ground

One of the chickens appears to be the "alpha" chicken, the "leader of the pack" (or in this case flock) so to speak.  She is the one in the above picture.   She is a big red chicken called a New Hampshire Red.  Tom has named her Abigail.

I wouldn't say that she likes to be petted, but she tolerates it.