Prodigal baby chicken returns !!! Miracle!

[kimboolah]

We have a mixed bag of layers, who are about 6 months old now. In August I added 8 EE's. They live in the coop in a section that is fenced off because integration has been a problem. So, my daily routine is to let the big girls out to free range, and let the little ones out into the pen for a bit.

On Friday, everyone was out in the yard, and I decided maybe the babies were old enough to go out in the yard--about one hour later, i went to round them up and we couldn't find two of them. All hands on deck search commenced and we located on tucked away in a strange place, but safe. We searched and searched for the other one and finally gave up. Saturday morning it was 25 degrees here and snowing, and I gave up all hope of her return. My son was soooo upset.

Fast forward to today, Sunday. He was out changing out the water and feeding the birds--big ones were out in the yard, baby ones kept inside because of the cold. I looked out and there was a baby standing in the yard! I yelled for him to quick, count the babies, he yelled SEVEN! I yelled "LOOK!". He bent down and the baby ran to him.

Amazing. We don't know where she was, but she is a smart little chook. No damage (I was worried about frostbite), and starving hungry and thirsty.

YAY! A Sunday Miracle!

 

[PortageGirl]

LOL, ok well, all of nature is a miracle isn't it, so I'll agree! Chooks have been managing out and about for hundreds... heh, make that thousands of years, so it's all good!

So happy for you and your son that the little one returned home. Lets hope she learned a valuable lesson, and that it isn't that it's fun to roost in trees at night. Honestly though, she probably got too far away and it got too dark for her to get back safely. She'll probably hang closer to her sisters now.

glad she got home!

 

[kimboolah]

You mean my spoiled little egg machines could survive without me?!!??

We are just happy that she is safe and sound. The not knowing where she was, was the worst part of it all.

Lesson learned.

 

[tara7815]

that is awesome!

I have a similar story - we lost a guinea pig in our woods. Showed up 2 weeks later .. completely unharmed!

 

[PortageGirl]

Quote:
Well, they probably -could- survive, but it's not a pretty picture at all HOW they'd look and feel, and how short and difficult their lives would be before they became dinner for predators... I totally get how upsetting it is to lose any of your SLEMs (spoiled little egg machines.) I'd have been worried too!

 

[fldiver97]

happy to hear the chick is back home!!!

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

She is home!

I am sure your son was so-o-o very happy.

What an adventure I am sure she had. I wonder if the rest of the bunch believe her story.

 

[cmom]

I'm glad you found her. It is a miracle...

 

[AccentOnHakes]

Quote:
Once upon a time, out chickens spent maybe 3 days with our friends, who also have chickens. At night, they couldn't find one. They called, and we were pretty bummed. The next day, they went looking again, and guess where she was? Perched up in a tree like a fat little dove.

They had Orpingtons, or that's what they looked like-fat yellow things with fluffy butts. Mine was a Leghorn, so I guess they didn't know chickens could fly.

 

[sred98]

Wow! Congrats on finding her! That is amazing! I had something similar happen with some guinea babies. Those babies can be really sneaky!

I bet she doesn't wander off again! My guinea babies didn't!

Shelly