We’ve had a few losses since my last blog post. Firstly Seek was knocked over whilst taking a wander down the track. We aren’t sure who knocked her over, but a neighbour found her and let us know. This left us with Bob, Bolshy, Star and Hide.
Hide
On Wednesday Hide also decided it would be a good idea to hop the wall and take a wander and was rummaging around in some long grass looking for bugs. A neighbour was walking her gun dogs and sadly instinct
Gabriel and Bob, Bolshy, Star, Hide & Seek
kicked in when they found her and before our neighbour realised and called to release they had badly injured her.
We heard a lot of noise from the rest of the flock as it happened and went out and the neighbour told us what happened. Gary explained it wasn’t their fault – the chook had wandered into a footpath and the dogs were just acting in their nature and refused her kind offer of getting us a replacement hen. He then humanely culled Hide. Sadly some dogs will attack hens, and it is why I always advise those with pet dogs to be careful when first starting out with poultry.
Random Chicken
On Thursday afternoon I look out into the garden and see a random chicken! A young Warren/ISA Brown clucking around with the rest of the flock quite happily. I assumed the neighbours must have popped along and dropped her off in secret, and planned to go along this weekend and thank them for her. Gabe named her Red and although normally I would separate a new bird we left her with the others as with no notice we had no where else to put her.
Vanishing Chicken
Red seemed to have fitted in already by this afternoon and when we came in just after 5.30pm she was happily scratching around with the others. I went out at 7pm with treats and there was no sign of her. Checked the bushes, all the garden, and walked the track. No where to be seen. Tried our two closest neighbours and neither were home. Red had just gone!
There was no fuss from the other birds, which when predators have been about Bob has made such a fuss, plus no feathers etc and all others seemed quite happy dust bathing. I can only assume someone has come and taken her. It may well be that she was in fact another neighbours bird who had been found on the track and someone assumed she was ours and dropped her over, and when the owner saw her they reclaimed. Is very odd though as no one knocked on when she was dropped off or taken away!
I have to admit it is a bit unsettling, and she was such a lovely bird that Gabe keeps asking for her! Despite her young age she was happily squatting for a fuss and letting him stroke her, which our others won’t do.
Tomorrow I plan to check the other neighbours on the track who have poultry to see if they have any idea, and then pop to the dog owners to see f they did drop her off. Either way we are very confused here as to the case of the vanishing chicken….
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