So, my big beautiful house way up in the mountain was perfect for our small flock of backyard hens. Then, we get the brilliant idea that our $300k mortgage is a bit much, and we should save up to go mortgage free. Have our eyes on a nice property, and sold our home, and are now renting a tiny home in town. In town = no chickens. So, we agree to board them at a friends house. We deliver the coop, run and food, give detailed instructions, and all is well in our little world, except that we miss our babies.
This past weekend, my friend has to leave to stay with her mom. My husband goes over to check on our babies after work, and the run door is open!!!! And the coop door is open too!!!!! And 3 hens are gone, the remaining 2 are severely traumatized, but not injured. Thing is, the coop has 2 locks, 1 is at the top, and is a slide-bolt, the bottom is block of 3x2x1 that swings down over the door stopped by screws. The run is a 10x10 dog kennel, with chicken wire over the bottoms and corners. But none of that matters if the doors are open! So, I call my friend, and she says she saw her son latch both doors, which I do believe. So, who opened the doors???? Neighbors? Hikers? Random kids? I'm so devastated!!!
Later that night we went back, because we began to wonder if someone broke into the house. As I was checking the doors, I almost stepped on one of my EE's asleep on the porch. On further inspection, we find 2 very prominent piles of feathers, one is obviously from our only silkie, and one is from our other beautiful grey EE.
The feathers tell the tale, our 2 babies are gone forever.
Needless to say, we have some very illegal poultry hidden inside our shed. Luckily, our neighbors are great, and we can give our babies some outdoor time for a few hours. It's not ideal, but for the moment it works.
the city never finds out!!!!
This past weekend, my friend has to leave to stay with her mom. My husband goes over to check on our babies after work, and the run door is open!!!! And the coop door is open too!!!!! And 3 hens are gone, the remaining 2 are severely traumatized, but not injured. Thing is, the coop has 2 locks, 1 is at the top, and is a slide-bolt, the bottom is block of 3x2x1 that swings down over the door stopped by screws. The run is a 10x10 dog kennel, with chicken wire over the bottoms and corners. But none of that matters if the doors are open! So, I call my friend, and she says she saw her son latch both doors, which I do believe. So, who opened the doors???? Neighbors? Hikers? Random kids? I'm so devastated!!!
Later that night we went back, because we began to wonder if someone broke into the house. As I was checking the doors, I almost stepped on one of my EE's asleep on the porch. On further inspection, we find 2 very prominent piles of feathers, one is obviously from our only silkie, and one is from our other beautiful grey EE.
Needless to say, we have some very illegal poultry hidden inside our shed. Luckily, our neighbors are great, and we can give our babies some outdoor time for a few hours. It's not ideal, but for the moment it works.
