Chickens bid for their freedom

My chickens have been in a sort of moveable coop that every day gets taken to a new piece of grass. The reason being that it controls the amount of grass they consume but also provides protection from the local predator, Mr Fox. I wanted them to be free range though and we had to sit together and see how that could be achieved. Growing our fruit and vegetables may not mix with free range chickens so although they are free range they do not have the run of the whole paddock. The boys have worked hard at building an enclosure with chicken wire and posts so that during the winter when the grass no longer grows, they at least have a larger area to have a mudbath in. It was a truly moving moment when they found the door to the outside and found fresh ground. Lots of scratching, lazing in the sun. They came back in at night and I feel happier about having given them more choice, more grass and more running space to get away from eachother.
I am not bothered whether they lay an egg each day, they give me plenty and I could watch them for hours, its a peaceful activity.Some days they don’t feel like laying eggs and looking at the weather I cannot blame them. They have a certain wisdom and their own rhythm and if the cake making needs to be postponed because I do not have the ingredients so be it, everything happens with a little patience.