Oh, adding that when Maretta comes back to her group, having those two hens gone will help her reintegration process. I'm not sure if they were in there when she left just over 8 weeks ago or not.
Ah, forgot to tell you about some funny chicken drama this a.m. Our cat was sitting by a pile of plastic tarp out near the garden, obviously listening. I went over there and lifted up a corner and Finn shot underneath and came out with a little white footed mouse. He took it over into the space between the chicken pen and the garden and put it down. The little mouse squeaked and batted at Finn with her little white paws and then made a break for it.....right into the chicken pen....right into a group of Brahmas. Critical error. It was on, like the velociraptors in Jurassic Park after prey!
Bailey came out with the mouse in her beak and ran off with it....right into the barn. I'm saying in my head, "No, no, no ,no" and run in after her, hoping she won't let it go in there, but I need not have worried. She was beating it senseless against the barn aisle floor. It was dead. I shooed her out of the barn and she ran off with her prize, followed by her jealous sisters. I never found one single piece of that mouse, but I did later lift up the tarp and four or five of her offspring shot out in all directions.
