We had a stray kitten show up out of nowhere last week. For a couple days, it hid out under the coop and I think it was sneaking into the run and eating the rooster's food 'cause I noticed the feed was disappearing faster than usual. The kitten would run away as soon as any humans got near the coop. At least until Friday....
I came home from work to find the kitten laying on the chicken's ramp to the coop, sunning itself. INSIDE the fencing, with the HENS! Now you need to understand that I tried a few weeks ago to introduce a silkie to the hens and had to step in to save the poor little silkie from being instantly pecked to death by the whole hen gang. But here's this kitten, laying in the middle of the hen's run, sunning itself. The hens weren't interested in the kitten at all. Hmm....
Then today took the proverbial cake. I have one orpington hen, a nasty ol' gal on a good day, who has currently gone broody. She sits in the nest all day long and as soon as I lift the lid on the nest box to gather eggs, her feathers ruffle up and judging from the noises emanating from that bird, I swear she is demon possessed. She hisses and snarls at me. Usually followed by several attempts to peck anything within reach.
Well, guess where we found lil' kitty today? Yup, in the nest box with Ms. Nasty Attitude Orpington! What gives!?! She'll peck the hand that feeds her goodies on a daily basis, but lets a kitten crawl in and share a nest with her?
I wish I could have gotten a photo or two just for cuteness sake, but the kitten is too skittish to sit still for that. We have since captured kitty (with much clawing a biting from said feline) and brought her in the house. We are very far along with taming her with the use of baloney and milk. She is now sleeping on my DD's bed. I guess the farmette just took on another passenger....
I came home from work to find the kitten laying on the chicken's ramp to the coop, sunning itself. INSIDE the fencing, with the HENS! Now you need to understand that I tried a few weeks ago to introduce a silkie to the hens and had to step in to save the poor little silkie from being instantly pecked to death by the whole hen gang. But here's this kitten, laying in the middle of the hen's run, sunning itself. The hens weren't interested in the kitten at all. Hmm....
Then today took the proverbial cake. I have one orpington hen, a nasty ol' gal on a good day, who has currently gone broody. She sits in the nest all day long and as soon as I lift the lid on the nest box to gather eggs, her feathers ruffle up and judging from the noises emanating from that bird, I swear she is demon possessed. She hisses and snarls at me. Usually followed by several attempts to peck anything within reach.
Well, guess where we found lil' kitty today? Yup, in the nest box with Ms. Nasty Attitude Orpington! What gives!?! She'll peck the hand that feeds her goodies on a daily basis, but lets a kitten crawl in and share a nest with her?
I wish I could have gotten a photo or two just for cuteness sake, but the kitten is too skittish to sit still for that. We have since captured kitty (with much clawing a biting from said feline) and brought her in the house. We are very far along with taming her with the use of baloney and milk. She is now sleeping on my DD's bed. I guess the farmette just took on another passenger....
