This has been a very bad week for our chickens. (and me too) Today I heard lonely Lee screaming, a different noise than she usually makes, so I ran outside and saw a big white stray dog who looked at me and then ran into the woods. I yelled and waved my arms and ran down to make sure it was chased off.
Lee ran from that woodsy part of the clearing right past me and into the woods behind the house...she ran. It looked like she had some missing feathers but she was running. I followed her and she disappeared somewhere into the woods.
I went back to look at where the dog was and there was a trail of feathers, even some large feathers... a lot of feathers but no blood.
After checking many times and leaving her some sunflower seeds she finally emerged. She let me pick her up and seemed to have all her feathers but I am done with this free ranging thing. My heart is sore. I took her over to the chicken house which is now cleaned out and the floor secured down. She did manage to get up onto the roosting bar, but she is just sitting there, recovering still, no doubt. Her eyes are not so bright as usual.
I am looking into guinea fowl. They may not be like pets but they keep the bugs and ticks down and protect their home fiercely and noisily. Now I just have to find a supplier of keets in our area.
I do so appreciate your concern. Our internet has been mostly down for the last week or I would have replied sooner.
No problem, was just letting you know👌How is Lee today? Hope she has recovered from that trauma. My chickens are mad at me, it has been so rainy and stormy they have not been out in the yard in a couple of days. They have been in their enclosed area, hopefully today they can come out and play🐓
She is still on the roosting bar. I still see the treats I left for her. I am so grateful that she lived through it