The Barnevelders Have Landed!

Our three new Barnevelder hens were a bit traumatized by the change of venue yesterday. They left their cozy southeast Portland coop and landed in an electric fence run that borders Indian Runner ducks on one side and massive Charolais cattle on another.

The hens took one look at the cattle and just about keeled over dead on the spot. Needless to say, I don't thing these girls have ever seen a bovine, let alone three.

True to their reputation, the Barnevelders sang their distress at top volume, a jarring and discordant scream and screech combo. It was enough to make the cattle snort. The dogs barked and the ducks commiserated with a loud series of honks.

Our Charolais cow, Daisy, took offense at the racket, hustling her bull-calf child, Tip, to the other end of the pasture. The big Charolais steer, Tad, appeared to be downright fascinated with the new ladies. His attention drove the hens to a whole new level of symphonic discord.

Thankfully, Tad eventually lost interest and the hens, after spinning around the run, found their way into the coop, where they remained very quiet all night long.

Two of the Barnevelder Hens, Looking Much More Relaxed Today