visiting chickens

One day recently, I glanced out the window and saw something out of the ordinary.  Chickens!

(glare on window,sorry)

They aren't mine!

I know the neighbors have chickens, and the day before, I had had noticed these chickens on our side of the woods...which surprised me. I didn't think chickens would go through the woods like that.

But, there they were. I wanted to get a closer look at them so I got some cracked corn in a container and rattled it and scattered some from the porch and they came running.

A rooster and 3 hens. All shiny and healthy looking. They were cautious but not really afraid.

For a minute or two I was wishing I had chickens again, but then they started scratching mulch out of the flowerbeds so I got over that thought real quick!

Toward evening I looked around in the woods to see if they were sleeping in there or if they found their way back home. I didn't see them - so I'll just assume they know their way around the area.

I kept chickens for a few years when we moved here. For a long time everything went well...then somehow every predator known to chickens was out to get them.  I would come home from work to find headless chicken corpses strewn around the property...or wake up in the morning to find terrified chickens huddled in the corner of the coop after some critter had found it's way in and had a chicken dinner.

Hawks would swoop down and snatch baby chicks before they could make it  safely under their mothers wings.  It was heartbreaking.

We did get plenty of eggs and some of the chickens became pets. It was a good experience but I'm through with it.

But if these chickens visit again, I will give them a snack.