When I got home from work today and called the chickens into the barn, only two of the four yellow hens came. As soon as I counted everyone else I went outside to check, because sometimes one will jump over the fence in pursuit of greener pastures.
I found the first hen huddling in a corner, clearly uneasy about whether it was safe to come out. It took a few minutes to encourage her into the barn. While I was at it I glimpsed a pile of yellow feathers on the other side of their fenced yard.
Upon investigation I found the corpse of Mama Hen. Something must have grabbed her through the fence and taken one big bite. Everything else was left. I imagine that she was protecting Chickie, putting herself between her baby and danger. What could I do but dig a hole, bury her with a prayer.
She was a good Mama Hen.
2 comments:
Oh wow. I'm really sorry, Jo. That's just awful. Is Chick-Chuck old enough to fend on its own?
I hope Chick-Chuck will be ok. She's seeming abandoned right now, but at some point she'll have to find her way in the flock.
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