It’s been a rough couple of weeks at the Herrick Abode*. I’ll try not to dump all at once, but we’ll start with the story of our sad rooster.
You’ve all seen Chief before, he’s a gloriously red rooster.
And he’s always been a good rooster too. Takes care to share treats with all his hens. Helps them find the best nesting nooks. Never attacks his humans. Stands up to the fox in the yard.
Oh yeah, that last part is why he’s a sad rooster these days. Apparently, we have a resident fox. We’d seen him once early this spring, but foolishly thought we’d run him off the property. But A week or two ago I came home to this
And not just here. There were poofs of red rooster feathers all over the front acre. And a very sore, beat up looking rooster lurking around his coop. Poor guy clearly fought the fox and while he didn’t quite loose, he didn’t exactly win either. Our hens are all gone.
He’s spend the last week recuperating. He’ll have a nasty scar on his back. But after several days of sleeping in the clean straw he’s back on his perch and I’m finally sure he’s going to pull through. He’s headed back to our friend’s house where he hatched to rejoin her flock. He’ll have some new hens to protect and care for soon.
*Inside joke. Our real estate agent calls our house an abode. I would never have thought of that one myself…
Tagged: chickens
