Her body danced in response. She mostly kept the reaction inside, hoping anyone who noticed would attribute her joy to the chickens. That thought had her giggling.
Seth’s eyes locked on hers and flared with the intensity she loved to see. He wasn’t thinking about chickens either.
Kimi distracted her when she reacted to the coop. “This is perfect. The hardware cloth is so much better than chicken wire. It doesn’t obstruct the view at all, but it will keep the birds safe. Hens enjoy watching the world go by. I love how much space you’ve given them in addition to the run.”
The entire enclosure was twenty feet along each side. It gave these birds plenty of space and allowed them to easily double or triple their number without adding on.
Seth set the cages down by the coop and surveyed the area. “We should add a couple of benches nearby, maybe a table or two. Guests might enjoy having breakfast or lunch out here.”
Jolie grinned. “They could thank the hens for the eggs. I love that. Ford will make something up for you.”
Mara’s brother barked out a laugh. “I will, will I?”
Jolie framed his face and drew him down for a kiss.
He sighed dramatically. “I guess I will.”
Her brother would do anything for Jolie, but she figured he’d do it even without her prompting. He’d had as much fun as Mara and Seth putting the coop, the run, and the enclosed yard together.
A few weeks ago, she hadn’t a clue about anything chicken-related. Now, she’d helped with the coop and the enclosure, and built a set of chicken-sized monkey bars and a chicken swing.
The coop where the chickens would spend the night had multiple roosting bars inside, and a human-sized door for when they cleaned it. An automatic, chicken-sized door would keep the hens safe from predators at night, and a couple of windows covered with hardware cloth would keep it ventilated. There were also nesting boxes built along the outside wall, allowing people to gather the eggs without disturbing the birds. That was locked with a carabiner so predators couldn’t access the eggs.
The entire design was ingenious. Painted yellow to match the No Phailed Apples Inn, it was also cute and fun. Guests would definitely enjoy some time watching the birds. “Maybe we could have a feed or treat dispenser, and the guests could feed them, too.”
Kimi nodded. “You’ll have to control the amounts, but that wouldn’t be difficult. People love feeding animals. Be sure to include a sign telling them to use only approved food, though.”
Seth picked up one cage, and Ford grabbed the other. The chicken yard was large enough for all the humans to fit inside. Once the door was closed behind them, Kimi looked around. “This is amazing. Your birds are going to be happy. If you find they don’t head into the roost on their own at sunset, try removing all the play structures you’ve made for them.”
Mara worried her lip. “Should we take them out? I thought they were good for them.” From what she’d read, chickens liked to roost, always aiming for the highest spots, so they’d included several structures with interesting angles and perching spots at various heights. She didn’t want bored chickens.
Kimi smiled. “They are. It’s always good to give animals options that make their lives interesting. With this being a new home, it might take them a bit to learn to head to the coop. They naturally head to high ground at night, but if they don’t, you can help them learn to walk up the ramp. If that doesn’t work, remove the play structures for a few days until they have the routines down.”
Seth nodded. “Got it. Let’s see how these ladies react.”
He opened the cage, and one hen immediately popped outside. The orangey-brown bird looked around while nodding her head, then she walked over to the monkey bars. After a couple of pecks, she flew herself up to perch on the top bar.
Mara laughed and blinked away the happy tears. “Well done, Maki. You’re leading the way.”
Kimi raised an eyebrow. “Maki?”
Mara nodded. “After someone on Seth’s military team. We wanted to name the first ones after Seth’s team, with the first one to be brave enough named after Maki.”
Seth moved over and wrapped his arm around her shoulder as the other chickens emerged from the cage. “Squid, Johnny, Brain, Clay.”
There was one more bird, so she named it. “Babs. You have to be there too.”
Jolie nodded. “Definitely. We’ll have to make a chart of who is who. The guests will love that. Maybe even put a brief explanation of the names.”
Seth shook his head. “I don’t want it to be personal.”
Mara squeezed him, knowing he didn’t want people asking him about the names, prying into his past. “How about a line saying the names are a tribute to an amazing military team?”
She felt him take a deep breath. With his eyes locked on hers, he nodded. “That would work.”
Ford opened the other cage, and the other six hens walked out. “You want to name these too, or get to know the six names first?”
She nodded. “I think six is enough to remember for now. Maybe we can put their pictures and names on a sheet, then leave it on the hardware cloth near the door. That way, everyone will learn the names. The guests can get to know them, too.”
