So yesterday I did something stupid and it's resulted in me losing one of my sweet 4 month old Serama pullets. My two boys and two girls have been occupying a couple of rabbit cages in the house, so I try to put them outside for a while each day in the 4X4 covered X-pen. The pen is on the upper deck just 10 steps from the kitchen door. Last evening as I was bringing them in, I accidentally left the door to the pen ajar on one of my trips in and out of the house.
I had brought the boys in, was refilling the waterer in the kitchen and found that in my 2 minute absence that Wren, our little brown pullet had just disappeared. I looked over all sides of the deck to the yard below where all the LF were free ranging and didn't see her. I looked up in the trees and didn't see her or any other birds that might have swooped down and gotten her. Later my Golden Retriever was crying at the gate leading to the front yard and then joined me on the top deck overlooking the front yard and was still whining. He seemed to be indicating to me that she might have jumped up on the railing and gone over so I leashed him and had him try to track her in the front. No luck.
This morning when the boys started crowing in the house I thought maybe she'd come out of hiding to try and find everyone. I looked under bushes, cars, up in the trees, calling her but neither saw nor heard her.
I'm so annoyed with myself for leaving the X-pen door open. Two minutes and it's like she vanished into thin air. This was a very sweet girl who loved to be held and petted and would just coo herself to sleep in your lap.
And I also want to add that although I gripe and moan about DH often, that this morning he was out in the yard bright and early doing a thorough search for our lost girl. He may be a pain in the neck, but he's got a big heart. I guess that's just one of the reasons I've kept him around for 21 years.
So, we keep looking. Keep a good thought for us please that our tiny chicken comes home.
I had brought the boys in, was refilling the waterer in the kitchen and found that in my 2 minute absence that Wren, our little brown pullet had just disappeared. I looked over all sides of the deck to the yard below where all the LF were free ranging and didn't see her. I looked up in the trees and didn't see her or any other birds that might have swooped down and gotten her. Later my Golden Retriever was crying at the gate leading to the front yard and then joined me on the top deck overlooking the front yard and was still whining. He seemed to be indicating to me that she might have jumped up on the railing and gone over so I leashed him and had him try to track her in the front. No luck.
This morning when the boys started crowing in the house I thought maybe she'd come out of hiding to try and find everyone. I looked under bushes, cars, up in the trees, calling her but neither saw nor heard her.
I'm so annoyed with myself for leaving the X-pen door open. Two minutes and it's like she vanished into thin air. This was a very sweet girl who loved to be held and petted and would just coo herself to sleep in your lap.
And I also want to add that although I gripe and moan about DH often, that this morning he was out in the yard bright and early doing a thorough search for our lost girl. He may be a pain in the neck, but he's got a big heart. I guess that's just one of the reasons I've kept him around for 21 years.
So, we keep looking. Keep a good thought for us please that our tiny chicken comes home.
My big, beautiful, 100% imported English blue Orpington boy has started to crow. I was hoping I'd be able to grow him out more just because he's so pretty but that won't be happening now. I should have known he was feeling his oats - the past week I've seen him fluff up and charge my little Pomeranian who is smart enough to take off in a hurry. This morning he ruffled his feathers at one of the Ameraucana girls and she put him in his place. 
(I wonder if he's not crowing yet because there's another roo in there with him and a pretty dominant hen) -- 
