Well I went over this afternoon to spend a little time with my flock, as I won't be around tomorrow or Friday. When I got to the coop I realized that some of the girls had managed to fly the fence, which happens fairly often with the smaller, lighter pullets. No biggy. I had a bag of rice and everyone I could see came running. Five minutes later I had them back in the run. I sat on a bucket and talked to them all, petted my friendlier birds. You know the normal chicken time activities. And then I started doing my nightly headcount. I was missing a barred rock. I counted 3 more times, stuck my head in the coop, counted a few more times. Still 1 short.
I took a deep breath. She must have flown the fence too. So I grabbed a bag of treats and started calling for her. I walked around and around, no chicken. I went way farther than I've ever seen them from the coop. No luck. Called the DBF to tell him I'd be late, and that I mught have to swing by the coop after dinner to see if she'd come back yet. I was slowly starting to freak out. If she was out there somewhere and didn't show up tonight, there'd be no one to let her back in tomorrow or Friday.
So I went back in the coop and finished my nightly chores. At this point the sun had gone down enough for me to need a flashlight to do yet another headcount. I came up one short again ... until I saw something behind a nestbox that no one ever uses. And there was my missing barred rock!!!!!! I was estatic
I picked her up and checked her over. She was sitting on two eggs, but I didn't think anything of it. I put her down and she ran over to get a bite to eat. I collected the eggs and started for the door. And she started screaming. She was back near the nest box freaking out. The darn girl has gone broody on me. I waited a few minutes thinking she'd calm down. I was wrong. She kept screaming and searching (it was pathetic). But that preceded to set off the roosters, who set off the rest of the hens. I gave in. I gave her two eggs from yesterday that were cold, cold, cold. I'll let her play mama until I get back this weekend. Haha! She's happy and I'm happy.
I just had to share because I know y'all understand what I went through this evening
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
I took a deep breath. She must have flown the fence too. So I grabbed a bag of treats and started calling for her. I walked around and around, no chicken. I went way farther than I've ever seen them from the coop. No luck. Called the DBF to tell him I'd be late, and that I mught have to swing by the coop after dinner to see if she'd come back yet. I was slowly starting to freak out. If she was out there somewhere and didn't show up tonight, there'd be no one to let her back in tomorrow or Friday.
So I went back in the coop and finished my nightly chores. At this point the sun had gone down enough for me to need a flashlight to do yet another headcount. I came up one short again ... until I saw something behind a nestbox that no one ever uses. And there was my missing barred rock!!!!!! I was estatic
I picked her up and checked her over. She was sitting on two eggs, but I didn't think anything of it. I put her down and she ran over to get a bite to eat. I collected the eggs and started for the door. And she started screaming. She was back near the nest box freaking out. The darn girl has gone broody on me. I waited a few minutes thinking she'd calm down. I was wrong. She kept screaming and searching (it was pathetic). But that preceded to set off the roosters, who set off the rest of the hens. I gave in. I gave her two eggs from yesterday that were cold, cold, cold. I'll let her play mama until I get back this weekend. Haha! She's happy and I'm happy.
I just had to share because I know y'all understand what I went through this evening
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
