This past summer and most of the spring I have been dealing with a new neighbor that moved into my area. This neighbor is very fond of fresh chicken and thinks my place is a fast food, help yourself restaurant. I have tried almost everything to get him to move but to no avail. The fox has taken some of the chickens and caused me a lot of grief as I think of them as pets.
I do have favorites but love them all. If the fox gets one of my favorites I am just sick about it. It takes me longer to get over them being taken.
I thought I had gotten a little handle on this as I have not seen him in awhile and he has not taken any chickens lately. There are no guaranties when it comes to pesky wild life but I try to stay ever vigilant and keep an eye on the farm critters.
A few nights ago I was counting chickens and one was missing. It did not take me long to know which one I was missing. Baby bird was making one hell of a racket, he was looking for his Mom. It was my little white silky Chicklet. She hatched Baby bird and is a good Mom to her hatchlings. She is one of my favorites and will come when I call her. So I started calling for her, nothing. I went looking and nothing. I got the flash light and started to look for signs of her. In all likelihood of her demise. It got colder and I went back to the house with out seeing a thing.
The next morning I went out and called for her hoping she ran off. If the fox scared her she would run to the woods and hide. Again nothing. I spent the day pissed and sad that one of my favorites was gone. Life goes on and the others need care. I went to the roof to see if I could see the fox but cold winds would not let me stay long.
The next night baby bird was not as boisterous and he settled down early in the back of the kennel he was in. I worried about him staying warm alone in there. Chicklet was not bigger than him but they did snuggle next to each other to stay warm.
All the next day I went looking to see if I could see any signs of her feathers, at least it would give me a route that the fox was using. I could move my live traps to that area in hopes of trapping it. Now the chickens are in the middle to end of molting seasons so there are feather absolutely everywhere even the woods as they all like to go into them looking for yummy bugs. I walked the road but nothing. I figured she was taken back to a den to be eaten.
I woke up in the morning minus the joy of going out to feed them. I dragged around for a bit and then went out. I was in the garage getting chicken food when I heard a soft chirp, I thought it was coming from the barn next to the garage. I then heard it again. I went out and stood between the garage and barn to listen as there are no chickens in the garage. When I did not hear it I went back to what I was doing only to hear it again. It was a very soft muffled, purring sound. I went over and lifted the plastic cover over the hay but no sound. I bent over looking under everything and heard it again. I crawled up on the hay looking on the top. As I was coming down off the ladder I heard it again, this time I knew it was coming from under the plastic hay cover. I pulled it back and started pawing around in the loose hay till I heard it again. I then stated to pull the bales of hay out and there she was, Chicklet. She had fallen down a small whole that the bales make if they are not snug to each other when stacking. She had laid an egg and pooped a pile. The egg and her little butt was a mess with poop. I was so happy to see her I didn't even care that I had shit all over me from hugging her. I put her down and she ran to the watering bowl and drank a gallon of water, or so it seemed. I cleaned her up and put her in with baby bird and fed them both.
I still have to clean the mess between bales, but I think I will wait till it freezes so it won't be so gooey to clean up.
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