[evie2]

 . . . never get between a mother hen and her chicks warning.

We were sitting in the orchard this morning, Em, Josh and me, watching the chickens and rabbits, a favourite way to start the day

Now, our chickens have grown up with our 4 cats (who can often be found in the coop) and the neighbours cats, most people round here have more than one and on the whole our cats are ignored whilst the neighbouring cats get the message quite quickly, a couple of pecks are usually enough and don't frequent our garden now, preferring to sit on shed roofs and chase wild birds

This weekend Star has been very grumpy and has barged and pecked everyone, except wee Evie, for so much as looking in the direction of her chicks

Anyway, as usual Merlin came to join us in the orchard, before poddling off through the veg plot to the bottom of the garden, his morning routine

Unfortunately, today, 4 Sablepoots, 1 Speckldy, 3 Ambers, 8 poot chicks, 2 Dutch bantam chicks and 1 very over protective Light Sussex mum had decided to have their morning dust baths slap bang in the middle of Merlins poddle route

There was a chirp, then a meow followed by a cluck, a screech (Merlin) fur (Merlin) feathers (haven't a clue ) lots of flapping, Merlin with Star jumping on him, the aunty hens joining in, the babies not helping by getting under all the feet which of course produced more chirps which only fuelled Stars anger   Around about then Em, Merlin's her cat, decided to put a stop to 'all this nonsense' and got pecked on her feet by the poots who, in a move the SAS would be proud of, appeared from nowhere and disappeared just as quick

Now, Merlin is no longer in his prime and tends to take things at a slower, more laid back pace :happy: but not today, oh no.  He took advantage of the commotion round Ems feet and in a move reminiscent of a Ninja Turtle, he jumped over a chair, bounced off a tree trunk, ran along the fence, jumped behind the wood burner and disappeared in a cloud of dust :blink:

Josh was mesmerised, hope he doesn't expect that every morning

[bantam novice]

 

So you'd back a mother hen against a cat any day 

[evie2]

Oh yes

[AL Hathaway]

Oh my goodness I have never laughed  so blooming hard I have tears running down my face good god that had to be so funny to watch. that is going to keep me going for the day i will be giggling to myself all day

[LittleRedHen]

Now THAT'S a real story!  How funny!  Poor ol' pussy cat!

[evie2]

He's recover enough to join me in the orchard tonight bless him but maybe that's because the chickens were distracted by rabbit food