Hen Heist: A jewelry thief

[Meggymojo]

Its a tale as old as time. A young new family dreams of having a mini farm. They glamorize how nice it would be to get in touch with the basics. Suddenly, one of them remembers a time ago when they knew someone who once owned chickens and TA-DA... a Backyard coop is born.

Now I am certain this is not the first time this has been shared, I’m also sure this isn’t the first time everyone has had a BIG laugh handed to them by a “green girl” Backyard chicken farmer. But... here we go anyway!

My darling daughter was walking our treats out last week when our 18 wk old blue Ameraucana flew onto her arm (per usual), she’s the first to the treat tray always. Well upon her impatience, she noticed a tad bit of sparkle coming from my 4 year old daughters ear. In a flash, and with a shriek, the earring was gone! Amidst my daughters tears, she explained what happened. I assured her that her wee bitty pearl was replaceable and simply reordered her a pair (they were very inexpensive.)

I then lectured her about how to properly hold our hens and enforced that they should not be held near her head. I even laughed at her dramatic whaling. I can assure you, she can laugh now.

Yesterday I was out watering the trees. Being 6 months pregnant, all tasks seem daunting, so I squatted while taking the hose to them. My feathery girls who were getting their last bits of roaming in came over to investigate if I had any evening goodies. While sweetly talking to my chicky-chooks, I hear a flap and in a split second I felt a tug at my ear. *GULP* — and just like that Lola (the Ameraucana) struck again! Unfortunately this time, it wasn’t some inexpensive amazon re-buy. This was a sentimental pair of pearls my husband had purchased as a gift for Christmas.

If you made it all the way and are still with me, here is my age old question and plight... what are the odds of it coming out? I should have prefaced this by saying, I will NOT be retrieving it via dinner. I just wanted to know if anyone had ever heard or jewelry passing? If so do you know a rough guesstimate in time? I know it’s a fat chance on getting it back. But I simply wanted to know if anyone knew of it happening, and not years later, or for dinner.

Signed,
That’s what I get for laughing.

 

[Tortoise]

Sorry, I can't help except too assume it would come out as it would us humans and dogs too.
Sorry too you got nabbed, but it was a good story to chuckle about.
Hope it gets pooped out soon

 

[Ridgerunner]

Just another example of why chicken TV is better than anything on cable, satellite, or antenna. Often it's a comedy but this may fall more into the drama category.

My guess is that your chances of getting it back are pretty slim. It will have to go through the gizzard. My guess is that the pearl will get ground into a powder in there.

 

[Meggymojo]

Just another example of why chicken TV is better than anything on cable, satellite, or antenna. Often it's a comedy but this may fall more into the drama category.

My guess is that your chances of getting it back are pretty slim. It will have to go through the gizzard. My guess is that the pearl will get ground into t powder in there.

Lol and from dust it came, and to
Dust it shall return. Oh man what a circle of life

 

[AlderCreekFarms]

You would make a good writer. Sorry for your loss. I guess the only way TO get it back in one piece is to......

 

[Meggymojo]

You would make a good writer. Sorry for your loss. I guess the only way TO get it back in one piece is to......

By making my chicken a 6 piece

 

[aart]

You would make a good writer.

She is a good writer....great story, well told!

I just wanted to know if anyone had ever heard or jewelry passing? If so do you know a rough guesstimate in time? I know it’s a fat chance on getting it back. But I simply wanted to know if anyone knew of it happening, and not years later, or for dinner.

Within a day or two. You could confine bird to a crate and 'look' for it.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

... your chances of getting it back are pretty slim. It will have to go through the gizzard. My guess is that the pearl will get ground into a powder in there.

I have recovered costume jewelry and silver coins from the gizzards of chickens. This happened while I was working in my Gramp's one horse chicken processing plant, it wasn't on purpose. I can assure you that there will be nothing recognisable as an ear bobb come out the back end of this chicken.

My Mother had an old maid aunt who had the politically incorrect nick name of "BIRDY"

She earned this nickname as a young child when a hen pecked out one of my Great Aunt's eyes. Small children and chickens don't play well together.

PS: Do you provide grit for your chickens or do you let your hens get their grit wherever they find it? No disrespect meant but it sounds to me like your chicken found herself some grit on your daughters earlobe.

 

[Meggymojo]

I have recovered costume jewelry and silver coins from the gizzards of chickens. This happened while I was working in my Gramp's one horse chicken processing plant, it wasn't on purpose. I can assure you that there will be nothing recognisable as an ear bobb come out the back end of this chicken.

My Mother had an old maid aunt who had the politically incorrect nick name of "BIRDY"

She earned this nickname as a young child when a hen pecked out one of my Great Aunt's eyes. Small children and chickens don't play well together.

PS: Do you provide grit for your chickens or do you let your hens get their grit wherever they find it? No disrespect meant but it sounds to me like your chicken found herself some grit on your daughters earlobe.

Oh my! That Birdy story gave me the shivers.

The chickens have access to an abundance of grit, however this one chicken seems to have a keen taste for the finer things in life. She’s trying to be a whole different kind of chick.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I no longer have them but when cleaning gizzards I found what I took to be either a Standing Liberty or a Roosevelt dime, I couldn't tell because all the marking were worn off. I also found a complete pearl bracelet but the pearls were worn down to the size of BBs. I was unsure whether it was a real or an artificial pearl bracelet. At the time I had never heard of a cultured pearl.