Misty Helps Put the Ducks to Bed

Every evening when it's time to put the ducks to bed (the chickens go up earlier, but the ducks like to stay out chasing  bugs), Misty follows us to the barnyard.  Herb in his head lamp praises her for following us.

As we approach the barnyard we can see Jemima Puddleduck sitting on her favorite fence post.  The Red Baron is agile enough to follow her there, but it gives her peace from most of the other boys.

We carefully herd Ping and the drakes into the Duck Mobile (formerly the chicken tractor).  They know the routine and go willingly enough, but Ping always gets silly  and starts running around as if he thinks there's a fox waiting in there.  Sometimes he gets the others excited, and it takes a bit of finessing to get them through the door and safely locked up.

 Meanwhile, Jemima--whom we always gently shoo off the fence post--has flown to the top of the coop.

The first couple times she did this we were able to get her down using a manure fork to reach up and herd her (the front is over 8 feet high).  Then she decided to fly to the top of the barn roof instead of joining the boys.  She REALLY does not like spending the night with them!  So we just hope she stays up there, because I guarantee you, she'd like spending the night with a fox even LESS!

With the ducks and chickens tucked in for the night, Misty follows us back to the house.

She does her business before bed, and Daddy tells her what a good doggy she is.  (If only it were that simple for the rest of us to get attention, love and praise!)  Misty loves going out to the barnyard with us, loves interacting with the pigs along the way, and enjoys the chickens and ducks with only an occasional correction when she takes their silly behavior as an invitation to play.

We'll always have to shut them up ourselves, but we are eager for the day when Misty can be on duty full-time.  Hero can hardly wait, either, to spend the nights back in the house with us where he knows he belongs.