Yesterday I let the chickens out to free range for a little bit. I have not let them out for a few weeks because I lost a rooster and two hens to cooper hawks three weeks ago. It was nice yesterday and most of the snow was gone so I decided to let them have a bit of freedom because I would be there to keep an eye out for hawks. There is a little stream that runs in the back of my yard. With the snowmelt it is running faster then normal. The Chickens like to go down by it and pick around. I thought to myself I hope they dont fall in because it is deeper then normal. Then dismissed the thought as me worrying too much. When I looked down one time I thought I saw one of the rooster fly down by the stream. I ran down but didnt see anything I looked around and everything seemed to be all right. I had also let my two peafowl out. I noticed later that the hen was very interested in the little bridge that crossed it. It is a little stream with wild honeysuckles all around the edge of it right up to the bridge. I went back down and looked under the bridge it is hard to see under there because it does not sit high off the water. Again I didnt see anything unusual. As I was closing up the chickens for the night I noticed that my favorite Serama rooster was not in his usual roosting place. I looked all over the pen but couldnt find him. I was very upset because he is so tame. When he sees me he does that sweet little Serama march right up to me making little calls. He is the only one that makes them little calls. It is so cute you have to pick him up. I remembered that I thought I saw one of the roosters fly down by the stream. I ran up and down that stream looking for him. I looked under the bridge again but could not find him. I looked everywhere and when it got dark I still looked with a flashlight but couldnt find him anywhere. I spent a sleepless night thinking that a fox or something else got him. I didnt think it was the hawk because he eats them where he kills them also the crows were around all day so I didnt see any hawks. I also was worried because we were getting more snow and he is a serama that should not be out in that weather and six inches of new snow. He is too small and would not be able to get around in the snow. I was back out as the dawn was breaking to listen to see if I would hear him crowing. I kept thinking about how my peahen was so interested with the bridge. I went down and stood by the bridge after a bit my heart did a flip-flop I thought I heard him. He crowed again and I know I had found him. He was under the bridge. I had look under the bridge many times yesterday but had not seen him because I had to lay in the water too see where he was. He was way under where the water had washed the bank away on a rock. It didnt matter that I was getting wet from laying flat in the water I was just so happy to have found him alive. I was just able to reach his head and drag him towards me. I think he must of some how fell in the water and got washed down under the bridge. I am lucky he was able to get out and had not drowned. Right now he is in my basement with his favorite hen where I can keep a close watch to make sure he does not get sick. He ate very good and the only thing I could see wrong is two of his point on his comb looks like they may of got a little frostbit on them. I am a very happy person today because my Little Guy is safe. Some times there is a very happy ending to something that seems hopeless. This is a picture of my Little Guy.
