One flew out of the Cuckoo's Nest

It's not like I didn't know a chicken was a bird, but what I didn't know is that to keep the girls free ranging and not "flying the coop" it's advisable to clip the primary flying feathers off the wings. This doesn't hurt the bird at all and though it seemed barbaric at the time, the thought of Lucky, Feisty, or Ruby flying to some random location and surviving, made it a compassionate security measure. I like to give them as many free ranging hours as possible during the day to peck around the yard and take dirt baths etc. I'd also say the event took our relationship to a whole new level. I'm now one part mom, one part adoring and appreciating fan, and one part rooster. There's a new level of subservience with the flock that I didn't ask for, but that allows me to pet the girls each morning. Though I may have to lower their perchs a bit due to their lack of lift...