We've ended up taking in a stray hen over the weekend, which turned up at the top of our drive (which runs alongside a field with sheep, that would provide access to most of the other back gardens in the village, or county for that matter)
Clearly it is an escapee either from someone keeping them in their garden - or maybe from the (small) chicken house half a mile up the road....
It survived Saturday night out in the field, and on Sunday morning it presented itself to us on the drive, so let it in the garden which provides modest protection against Mssrs Fox, Badger and Buzzard.
It seems happy clearing out the flower beds for me, and have given it chopped scraps and water in a tupperware box, and made a dry corner behind the shed a little secure, which it ignored, and slept under a bush.
- What should we do next?
Neighbours suggestions varied between (a) that's next Sunday's roast sorted, and (b) you'll be getting eggs then,
whereas the Missus thinks we should try and find who lost a chicken recently...
- How far might it have travelled?
- Do eggs just happen, or is there a trick ?
- Is it good for eating ? (Looks like the one on the front page of the Web site, Comb bright Red and about 1/2 inch tall.)
Is it going to earn it's keep doing the weeding for me and eating all the slugs, snails and other pests while leaving the roses and winter greens alone, and provide eggs by way of rent for a modest outlay of care ?
The toddler and his little friend across the road think its great.
