Each evening we shut the chickens in their little pink igloo. Once it starts to get dark, they usually go off to roost of their own accord, but nevertheless we always check them through the egg hatch before we leave them. Last night Dave came rusing in in a panic saying that we only had one chicken.
I went out with a torch and looked around to see if there was any sign of a struggle - feathers or anything. The chickens were in what we call the "outer run". The inner run is fox-proof, the outer run is just surrounded by plastic fencing. Chicken proof but not fox proof. The final (and favourite with the chickens) alternative is to leave them full run of the entire orchard.
This evening we had left them in the outer run. I hunted around but saw no signs. Then Dave returned outside and I spoke to him. As I spoke, I heard a clucking from under the hedge. The poor chicken had obviously slipped out under the plastic net fence and when it got dark couldn't get back in again. So she'd tucked herself away under a hedge and only made a sound when she heard my voice. I often give them treats etc so they tend to come when they hear or see me.
What a relief. I reached in and grabbed her and popped her in her run.
Panic over.
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