Monday Musings

I am using a old summer time picture of the girls.
They are still molting and have pin feathers. I feel so
bad because it is so cold right now and these are beach
baby chickens. They aren't used to weather in the 40s.

When I got them as chicks in February. I kept them
in my garage bathroom. I notice that now when I let
them out in the yard for a little me time, they all go
up to the door where my garage bathroom is and try
to figure out a way to go inside.


I have to tell them that they aren't little anymore
so they have to stay out in the coop. Yes, I know you
have feathers missing but you are still chickens. I have
thought about maybe just before sundown fixing some
warm oatmeal with warm milk and cranberries for them to
snack on but well, I am afraid my family might yell a bit, so I have not done
that as of yet.

This morning I was awake really early. I could hear
the foxes making that sound they make, not really a bark
but that sound that sounds like a woman being murdered.
When we first moved here and I heard it, it scared me to death.
As I listened to them, I thought I was going to have to walk
around and make sure all of the fences are secure. I have to make
sure there is nothing leaning against the outside fence because they
can climb like a cat if they have something to climb up.
They have kits in Jan/ Feb. So they get aggressive and hungry.
I think that is one thing that unnerves is the lack of fear they show.

One night I was woke up by the rooster next door. My neighbors were
out of town and I was supposed to be taking care of the chickens. I jumped
out of bed and went out the bedroom door and through my side gate.
With a flash light I can shine it on the chicken pen and see pretty good.
I really didn't want to go traipsing out in the pasture, barefoot in my pajamas
with skunks around. So I stood at my fence and I shined the flash light out to
the back of the pasture. My beam caught the reflection of green eyes looking
at me. I sort of jumped but kept my light on it to see what was going to happen.

As it sat there and watched me, it blinked and got up and started running from
the back of the pasture toward me. I kept following it with the beam, and it
would stop and sit down and blink and the eyes were so green.
As it got closer to the chicken pen I was starting to get really frightened.

It was running and I was pretty sure it was a fox, but you know, it was dark
and it was running really fast so I thought, what if it isn't a fox, but some sort
of alien. Then it ran to a place in the fence where it could get through and all of a sudden
it was running full blast towards me.
My hair stood up on my head and my arms and about the time I yelled, my husband
came out the gate. He asked me " What are you yelling at out here at 2:00 AM?" I turned
around and started for the gate where he was standing and said, " WE have to get in the fence
some thing is coming really fast."

I ran in the house and jumped in my bed and pulled the covers up, after locking the
doors. I know it was a fox, and I know I let my mind get away from me, but right
then and there I didn't care if the fox ate the whole coop. I wasn't going out to check
again.

I know I have told you over and over but I am a coward. I don't go out in the dark
around here if I can at all help it. Remember the picture of the house with our Christmas
lights? I didn't take it. My daughter did. Yep, I sent her out in the front yard to take the picture.
So anyway,
I hadn't given you a life around the farm story in awhile.

Have a lovely Monday, I thought a chicken/fox story would be more fun
than a mopping/ laundry/ clean house post/
Have a great week.

~Kim~