This morning I discovered that some creature had managed to dig into the chicken coop and kill The Love Chicken.  Whatever it was it was smart enough to peel aside the chicken wire skirt that I had buried around the coop in a 2 foot border.  I suspect a skunk since the body was left there and was only somewhat damaged.  A raccoon would have eaten more or dragged her off, a coyote would never have been able to fit through the space where the digging commenced.  No bird could have done it... and I just can't think of another critter that could have.

The Love Chicken got her name from her wanting to be petted and carried around all the time.  A full Arucana, she loved people, especially Susan, and would squat down with wings out for a good stroke and would ask to be picked up and carried around.  She never did that until Jealous Red passed on.  You see, Jealous Red also loved being carried, would sit in laps and really loved people.  But she would enact swift justice to any other hen who would accept affection from her humans.  Hence, Jealous Red.

We've had chickens for some years now and have been slowly losing them to predation: hawks, coyotes, and now something else.  We're down to 3.  It will make the move to Madrid easier, but it still breaks your heart to lose a chicken.

 

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