The first mystery is why the Buff Orpingtons are the ones that go missing. Why can't it be one of the Americaunas? I don't like them nearly as much.
And then, where is the hen? There are no piles of feathers or sad little carcases anywhere in the yard to give any clues - I am just down a hen. We don't have fox or any wild predators. Sometimes there are owls, but they are only about half the size of these huge hens.
Even my dogs would leave a few feathers - they aren't smart enough to eat the whole thing to hide the evidence. I doubt Nani, the cat, could do the deed, although I see her checking the hens that invade her area under the greenhouse tables with an evil eye. Nani is a rather small cat and has never made even the half-hearted attempt to stalk, much less pounce, on a hen.
This is the second Buff Orpington that has gone missing. The first one, I thought maybe she was brooding somewhere (they do go broody) - even though it would be in vain since the rooster had his fatal accident after attacking the nervous Gibby Crazy Horse. She never came out of the woods, though, so I guess that wasn't it.
These hens are already over a year and a half old and I was already thinking about getting a new batch, but I still resent that it was one of my beloved Buffs that are gone and not the less productive and less affectionate Americaunas.
3 comments:
Maybe someone snatched them because they like eggs too?
I freely admit my ignorance here, but would it be possible or useful to put on leg bands on those BO's, with a "call me # if found" imprinted? The two-legged varmints would probably laugh, but if your birds have been doing Wright Bros. imitations and their poultramnesiac tendencies prevent a return flight, maybe some aloha still could be possible. [I know, but it IS Easter week, yah?]
Someone snatching her would be hard - our house is set way back from the road and we have no real close neighbors....my guess is a sneaky dog. Or maybe a mongoose - I'd usually think they are quite too small, but I have seen some gigantic mongoose lately.
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