Last night, I heard Rosie barking at the chickens, so I went out to have a look. Several Buff Orpingtons were roosting on the deck, so I gathered them up and put them in their tractor. Was Rosie fussing at them because they weren't where they belonged? Good doggie!
Then, I went to check on the Silkies. Only our pullet, Fluffy was in the tractor, sitting on top of the ladder. I had forgotten to let down the ramp for their roost (the aforementioned Fluffy had been climbing up there to eat eggs, so I shut her down). There was a large pile of feathers in the corner of the tractor. The rest of the chickens were nowhere in sight. I went inside and got a flashlight and rounded up the others from various spots around the yard. Everyone except for Mrs. Rumphius.
New Daddy had come home, it was dark, and he was waiting for supper. I was obsessed with finding the hen, but nothing turned up. Did Rosie eat my hen? I wondered. With all of those feathers, something had to have happened...
At 7:30 this morning, the Silkies were loud. Very loud. I went outside to see what was going on, and to see if I could find Mrs. Rumphius. Rosie was very frisky, and I used a stick to give her something to gnaw on. After an unsuccessful search, I looked her in the eye and asked, "Rosie, did you eat my hen?"
And then, I glanced towards the front of the yard, up next to the fence. And I beheld a soaked Silkie hen... the one I had been looking for. She was terrified of Rosie, so I had to chase her away from the dog- who will not follow someone who's running. Finally, I caught up to the hen, she let me pick her up, and I returned her to her rooster.
Mr. Tableson was beyond relieved to have her back. It must be the ultimate disgrace for a rooster to let a hen get killed. But I also think he truly missed her. The tractor quieted down, and things started normalize for the Silkies after Mrs. Rumphius' return.
Maybe I'll remember to put the ramp down for my chickens, now?
Then, I went to check on the Silkies. Only our pullet, Fluffy was in the tractor, sitting on top of the ladder. I had forgotten to let down the ramp for their roost (the aforementioned Fluffy had been climbing up there to eat eggs, so I shut her down). There was a large pile of feathers in the corner of the tractor. The rest of the chickens were nowhere in sight. I went inside and got a flashlight and rounded up the others from various spots around the yard. Everyone except for Mrs. Rumphius.
New Daddy had come home, it was dark, and he was waiting for supper. I was obsessed with finding the hen, but nothing turned up. Did Rosie eat my hen? I wondered. With all of those feathers, something had to have happened...
At 7:30 this morning, the Silkies were loud. Very loud. I went outside to see what was going on, and to see if I could find Mrs. Rumphius. Rosie was very frisky, and I used a stick to give her something to gnaw on. After an unsuccessful search, I looked her in the eye and asked, "Rosie, did you eat my hen?"
And then, I glanced towards the front of the yard, up next to the fence. And I beheld a soaked Silkie hen... the one I had been looking for. She was terrified of Rosie, so I had to chase her away from the dog- who will not follow someone who's running. Finally, I caught up to the hen, she let me pick her up, and I returned her to her rooster.
Mr. Tableson was beyond relieved to have her back. It must be the ultimate disgrace for a rooster to let a hen get killed. But I also think he truly missed her. The tractor quieted down, and things started normalize for the Silkies after Mrs. Rumphius' return.
Maybe I'll remember to put the ramp down for my chickens, now?
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