Since the big move, from behind the shop to in front of the shop, we have been letting the hens browse around outside the coop occasionally during the day and only when we are at home. The first day I let them out was last Friday when I was up at the shop cleaning the kiddie slide that came from my Mom's for the DC. I was a nervous wreck, making sure they didn't go far out of my sight, like a little mother hen myself. Little did I know that there could have easily been a predator watching the whole time and probably was.
Since then they have been out a couple of times in the evening. Tuesday night I was sitting with Shaun in front of the shop and one of the Dominicks came running up to me wanting a snack. So I gave her some bites of a tortilla and when I was turned talking to Shaun she jumped up in my lap! Talk about chicken feet tickling your leg!
Yesterday Shaun was here, working in the shop, and let the Spice Girls out. Which is what I call them... the Spice Girls. I knew better than to name something we may have to eat one day but I couldn't help it. She gets in my lap for crying out loud! How can you not name her? We have Salt, Pepper, Nutmeg, Paprika, Cinnamon and Butt Rub (the lazy non-laying hen). Anyway, Shaun came out of the shop and found a scattering of black and white checkered feathers next to the shop with no chicken in sight. It is sad but either Salt or Pepper is gone. And I immediately thought, we took one (the rooster) and now we lost one. I know it really doesn't mean that, it was probably a hungry hawk or owl or coyote. But I do miss her already. She was sure a good laying hen. Salt or Pepper... whichever one she was. I am going to let the hens carouse this evening and I will know which one it was if she does or doesn't come running when she sees me.
I don't know if this was her or not. They were almost identical!
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