Farming Feathers
Chirping
- Aug 19, 2017
- 104
- 84
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This writing I hope has a happy ending, but for now I have reason for concern. Two days ago I saw a local dog in hot pursuit of a grey fox and it was no contest the fox with it's bush like tail sticking straight back and head held erect moved leaps and bounds ahead of the dog and gone in a flash across the road and into the bushes across from my fence line where I first noticed the pursuit began...though it could have been further down the road as the fox as more than 10 feet ahead of the dog.
That pursuit was not my alarm and concern for my hen that came two days later, for once having seen a predator leave the road across from my fence line I started watching that location and with no surprise saw the fox cross the road on my side of the fence line, but it quickly vanished...till yesterday about 10:30 AM when I saw the fox again coming from the bush area crossing the road towards my fence line only more direct toward the fence area...not to be seen again till dusk last night and then only caught a movement not an actual sighting but sure it was the fox.
It was after dark my wife came from outside concerned because Fancy Chicken as we call her was not found at her usual roosting areas...though we both went out for a look around it was too dark and not the first time she has not stayed at her roost...she likes to sleep on the gate of the chain link fence, or on the gate of another chain link fence in the patio on more than one occasion she spent time next door with other sister birds she use to flock with...so there is hope she is alright, but never before was a fox seen in the area in the same approximate time frame.
My last sighting of fancy chicken was made just 40 minutes ahead of the glimpse sighting of the fox. Fancy always puts on a good feed before bedding down for the evening (she is a free ranging hen). My look out the window and seeing nothing as a threat...I finished up my computer work which took me till dusk and my last sighting of the fox.
I closed the window blind with a quick check for Fancy, but didn't see her at the yard fence roost so concluded she must be in the patio roost for the night and let my wife know where she may be roosting. My wife goes out and pets fancy each night giving her confidence we care for her while I finish up the evening...then I later go and pet the girl for the last good night greeting. It was then my wife came in with concern she was missing.
It is now time for me to go look for my girl.
That pursuit was not my alarm and concern for my hen that came two days later, for once having seen a predator leave the road across from my fence line I started watching that location and with no surprise saw the fox cross the road on my side of the fence line, but it quickly vanished...till yesterday about 10:30 AM when I saw the fox again coming from the bush area crossing the road towards my fence line only more direct toward the fence area...not to be seen again till dusk last night and then only caught a movement not an actual sighting but sure it was the fox.
It was after dark my wife came from outside concerned because Fancy Chicken as we call her was not found at her usual roosting areas...though we both went out for a look around it was too dark and not the first time she has not stayed at her roost...she likes to sleep on the gate of the chain link fence, or on the gate of another chain link fence in the patio on more than one occasion she spent time next door with other sister birds she use to flock with...so there is hope she is alright, but never before was a fox seen in the area in the same approximate time frame.
My last sighting of fancy chicken was made just 40 minutes ahead of the glimpse sighting of the fox. Fancy always puts on a good feed before bedding down for the evening (she is a free ranging hen). My look out the window and seeing nothing as a threat...I finished up my computer work which took me till dusk and my last sighting of the fox.
I closed the window blind with a quick check for Fancy, but didn't see her at the yard fence roost so concluded she must be in the patio roost for the night and let my wife know where she may be roosting. My wife goes out and pets fancy each night giving her confidence we care for her while I finish up the evening...then I later go and pet the girl for the last good night greeting. It was then my wife came in with concern she was missing.
It is now time for me to go look for my girl.