Jail Birds

Jail Birds

The Great Orpington Escape

12 April 2011

For our next installment I cannot give you much detail on the coop but rather a story that happened this morning that took me quite by surprise. Every morning is the same for me. I get up too soon for my what my body asks for and too late for what my daughter demands. The moment I'm up its a go. I get to my daughters room where she either smiles widely for me, or tosses her stuff frog in anger with a pout that says, "What took you so long? Gawd!" Sometimes a dad can't catch a break. So I whisk her off to be changed and fed... first little piglet done. Then I hurry to let the dog out and feed her... second little piglet done. Then I hear my three new piglets-- the ones that fly-- and I hurry to the solarium, where they're kept in a large box until the coop is finished. I happen to have a screen atop the box with a rock weighing it down. Between my baby human and my curious little dog, it was necessary to create a barrier. And everything seemed as it should with one exception... the peeps were oddly aware of me. I shrugged it off and thought nothing more of it. I prepared the bedding and when to remove the screen when there was a burst of feathers, fuzz and wild peeping-- they had escaped. They made it out of that box with such efficiency that I'm certain they spent the night huddled around the feed dish conspiring.

*now these are buff orpingtons so imagine a british accent*

"I don't know what it is, but that thing we can see through but stops us...

"You mean the force field?"

"yeah! That! Well it comes off when he changes the box... as soon as you see the force field move, that's our chance"

"How do we get out, though?"

"Well... I've been experimenting and it turns out that if I move my arms..."

"Your what?"

"My arms! These flappy things with old-fashioned pens stuck to them... well when you move them up and down quickly, you go up. If you stop them from flapping, you go down."

"Oooh...is that what you were doing the other night? I thought you were just hysterical."

"Well I was but only after I found out how to use these arm things."

"And if we make it out of the box, what then?"

"Freeeeeedooooom!"

"What?"

"Sorry I was up late last night watching Braveheart."

"Oh, I love that movie, especially where Braveheart and that sweet girl marry in the forest."

"Or when the King finds out the princess is having Bravehearts love-child... burn!"

"Can we get back on track here?"

"Sure...So what then will we do when we get out?"

"Oh! Let's go to Chipotle! I hear that have a great veggie burrito."

"And then Gap! It's Spring and all I have to wear is worn fuzz and some old quill pens."

"Ok... first we escape, then we'll grab lunch at Chipotle and then go to Gap for some hoodies and jeans."

"Do you think I can pull off capris....?"

"Love, with those legs, you'll look ship-shape in Bristol fashion!"

"Excuse me while I pop off to use the loo..."

"Helen, thats the watering dish..."

"Oh that's disgusting..."

Ok so I embellished a little on the conspirator-talk, but these peeps meant business (plus I have a terribly boring job so my creativity comes out unexpectedly-- results will vary). I need to take them out of the box to change the litter anyway, so I left them be. They had a blast... dashing around, wings half-cocked and boxing with one another and the dog. My dog is the same color as they are and it seems they like to follow her like a momma hen. Lucy, my dog, however, isn't into that kind of thing.

Busy week yet to go but God-willing, I will have these escapees out of their too-small box come Saturday!

I'll reveal the coop then!

Till then!