I thought I had some smart chickens

[montanabill]

Well my little flock of 13 made it thru -40 temps before christmas and have been clucking right along laying a repectable number of eggs every day. The other day I missed one chicken at my evening roost roll call. Gone the next day also so i figured it was one of the ariconas trying to set on some eggs or the critters got her.
Then the next morning after a light snow I left the rest of the flock in their small run and they were making lots of noise as i circled the back yard looking for chicken tracks or to see if the hen was setting some egs someplace.
I had given up and was heading back inside when I heard a strange clucking sound and as I was tracking it down I found the bird with it's head stuck out of a hole in a plastic tarp covering some stuff . It evidently found it's way in thru a fold and then couldn't find the way out. I regret not snapping a photo of the crazy bird clucking away with only it's head visible.

 

[Magpie]

-40 and still laying. Credit to you and your care, I was happy with mine at -7. Funny how they can be so tough yet never turn feral and survive when given the opportunity

 

[INresponse]

Had a good night at work. Unloaded a truck and threw all the freight on to the shelves, plus some leftovers. One of the rare nights we didn't have a problem..... except at the end of the night when the boss and I where in the back and 3 others came running back asking if we just screamed or just heard a scream. Nope, there were two more employees in other areas of the store so we all ran off to check on them, they didn't hear anything, the boss and I didn't hear anything, but the first 3 guys all heard a scream. Store had been closed 6 hours and no one else was in the store. Things that make you go Hmmmmm. One guy suggested a Screaming Owl", which is common in the area, may have been on the roof and the sound would have come through the sky lights. Best explanation I can think of, unless it was a ghost.


Yesterday before work I had spare keys made for the house and mailbox. Youngest girls finally got their own house key and mailbox key. Well, not really because there is a house key hiding in a tree in the yard. I also had mailbox keys made up for the older two so hopefully they will start picking up the mail each day so I don't have to at 4am after work. I put the keys on each of their car key rings, it will be interesting to see how long it will be for each of them to notice the extra key.

Well relaxed tonight with a little elixir and will have my dinner/bed time snack in a bit. Hoping I sleep good tonight/this morning and can work on some stuff in the garage before work.

Sweet dreams, and Good morning.