Sunday, November 23, 2008

And Now There Are Six

I'm going to tell you a story.

Picture a girl going out for a trail ride, bareback. She heads out onto the trail and doesn't get more then 15 paces before she hears shrieking. She thinks instantly that it sounds like a chicken. A familiar chicken. But surely it can't be a chicken of hers, seeing as how her chickens have been gone now for one full week. She decides it must be a turkey in distress. She urges her horse forward at a trot and peers through the trees, trying to see. Suddenly, movement catches her eye, and the girl spots a very frightened chicken running through the snow covered wood, followed by a very mischievous young cat named Gronemeyer. The girl screams like she's going to die, yelling like crazy to stop the stupid cat from killing the one chicken that made it away from the slaughter man's hands the week before. She hops off her horse, and without really thinking, she snaps her horse's reins to a very small tree branch and races through the woods. The cat is now sitting, content to watch the show, under a tree, while the chicken runs around, bewildered. The girl follows the chicken through the woods. The chicken ambles along, just out of reach of the girl, until the chicken goes just behind the trunk of a tree. The girl stands on the other side of the trunk and peeks around the left side of the trunk. There is the chicken, peeking back at her. The chicken moves to the right side of the trunk and peeks around. So does the girl. This process continues itself as the girl contemplates how to snatch the bird. She decides she has no other choice, and as the bird peeks around the right side of the trunk another time, the girl grabs the bird's tail feathers. The bird cries out, but the girl grabs her and hugs her to her chest. Survivor has been found.

Yes. This is a true story. ;-)

That is exactly what happened to me today. Last week, when the one single bird got away, I honestly didn't think about it. I considered it dead, probably hunted by another animal, and after one day, I forgot about it. I really didn't think I'd see that bird, but to see it running through the woods...well, what a miracle.

Now dubbed "Survivor" for obvious reasons, the Ameraucana hen sits in her chicken coop.

She was so exhausted when she got it, but she ran through the coop like she remembered it. She has lettuce to eat, and scratch, and water, and hay to bed in.

And for a chicken that can survive in the woods, in the snow, when it's 20 degrees at night, for one week, and not die, there is no end in sight. We will keep Survivor.

We're hoping she won't be too lonely. What do you all think? Is it bad to have one lone chicken?

She was actually one of the only two chickens who DIDN'T have a name before.

She does now.

Happy ending?


BTW, I want to give Daisy some credit:

For being tied to a little tiny tree, and her reins literally clipped there, and so close to home, and not even being told to "Whoa, stand" she was great. She stood really patient, and walked along nice while I held the chicken in my arms.
This is good, considering how she was on Saturday.

Now there are six pets.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

wow!!! that is really cool!!!!!!! i can't believe she is still alive! is she still laying eggs? ok bye! :)

Danni said...

Yay, Survivor!! You're so good to rescue her, Mellimaus! I have to say, though, I think she needs a pal. At least one other hen. These critters aren't meant to be alone.

allhorsestuff said...

That is the beast story ever!! Keep the survivor..let her tell you if she needs comapany! So glad for this ending!

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

Wow! This is truly amazing, Mell! You and Daisy Mae did a wonderful thing. I'm so proud of the two of you. But especially you for being so quick thinking and so brave and fearless. Wow! I was so excited reading this, and so happy for Survivor chicken, too.

She'll probably be happier with a pal. And when the new chicks come in the Spring, she'll be the matriarch of the coop. Such a happy ending!! :)

~Lisa
New Mexico

Anonymous said...

Long live Survivor!

Anika said...

OMG OMG OMG!!! THAT IS SOOOO COOL!! DUDE!!! THAT IS AMAZING!!!!! WHAT WAS SURVIVOR'S NAME BEFORE? DUUUDE!! WOAH! does the slaughter man live close to you or did she travel sorta far? OMG in snow! and for a week?!?! WOAH. that chicken is my hero.

Jordyn Daniels said...

Poor Chicken...... Are ya'll goin' to get more chickens anytime soon? Cause I know animals that live together are supposed to be w/ their kind.

~Southern Commander~

Bella said...

that is soooooooooooo cool that the ONE chicken came back! survivor! love it! i know this is really basically unrealistic, since chickens are CONSIDERED the be one of the "dumbest animals" in the world, (im not sure yet if I believe that) I think that chicken has some smarts!!!
geez!

Mellimaus said...

I Love Jesus:
Nope, she's not laying eggs...but we're keeping her anyway. She seems better today....

Farmgirl, Laughing Orca Ranch, Southern Commander:
See bottom of this comment.

Gregor: Glad to hear from you! :)

Anika:
Survivor was name-less before, but she was one of the one's we were going to name after a powerpuff-girl charecter...The "slaughter man" lives about a 1/2 hour away...see bottom of comment as well. I know, I was REALLY surprised to see that hen running through the woods--I was so sure it had died! But Survivor is a survivor. ;-)

Ladies...and Gentleman (Gregor...I don't think I know many/any male bloggers...lol), you will be happy to hear that TOMORROW we are going to slaughter-man's house (What else do I call him?) and we are GETTING BIBBI BACK!

Survivor will be alone no more. I decided that (this sounds a little mean... :-/) of all of the chickens, I felt Bibbi was the one deserving to come home...not that they didn't all deserve to come...but she was the sweetest, didn't mount other chickens and peck their heads off...lol...

Do you guys think they'll get along? I mean, Surivor and Bibbi were together before...do you think they'll fight?...I hope not!

Anika said...

oo Bibbi's coming back!!!! YAY! I was looking at ur picture, and i was like, aw, poor bibby, she was so nice and pretty. oo thats so cool! bibby's pretty darn lucky! =]

Abigail said...

Aww! That's amazing that she's still alive! I definitely think its good that you decided to keep her. :)

AO

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