I'm not nearly as prolific as Darklyss and I'll leave the good stuff to her...
So we had another visit from the fella or dame as above - the fox was back looking for an easy chicken dinner.
The target this time was our favourite rooster Lennon...
I was watching A Very Muppet Christmas with our eldest daughter - I'm still recovering from the recent surgery, Darklyss was asleep (she has been holding for fort lately) and the little one was asleep... When we heard a commotion from the chickens.
We had only let them out at lunch time as the weather has been crap and fear of the fox returning when we are not around.
I got up as quick as I could and pulling on my boots (I'm wearing pajama pants, a T-shirt and my anti-clot stockings - the height in fashion you know). So out I hobble, walking is still painful and I go slow, I do a head count of the chickens while looking around the yard. There is something missing - I know there is something I should be seeing but I'm not quite aware of what it is.
Then it hits me, we have 12 chickens and I can count all 12. One is looking down towards the back of paddock and then it hits me - where is Lennon?
I head down towards the back scanning and looking for his tell tale feathers. It was then I saw them on the ground.
I immediately opened the gate to the unused paddock and headed into the thigh high grass following the trail of feathers and path of pushed over grass. This fox was cunning and had made a little corridor through the grass where it could be invisible while watching out for our flock.
I was not hopeful that I would find anything more than the feathers, in fact I didn't want to find a carcass.
Then I saw it, the fox bent down over the body of Lennon - I yelled, in my loudest deepest voice "Get away from him you bitch!" (actually no I didn't modify Aliens classic line but it was something similar). The fox looked up and took off, I yelled some more as it scurried back into the bush.
I walked slowly up the Lennon as he lay still in the grass. I was sure he was dead, then he moved. Not much, just a leg and I saw his mouth open.
Quickly I scooped him up, forgetting the pain that is associated with bending over, and I headed back to the house.
I wrapped him in a towel and left him in a laundry basket while I got the rest of the chickens back into the coop and protection.
Darklyss awoke soon after and I filled her in on the situation. We went to check Lennon and were both surprised and elated to see him awake and aware. A few minutes later he was standing and looking a lot better.
We checked him out for injuries and found a few puncture marks but nothing that was bleeding, and a lot of feathers missing, including a lot from his left wing - that must have been painful.
He's not out of danger yet but we have at least got a chance for him to survive his encounter with a fox.
Next time I'm grabbing my tomahawk on the way down... then I'll do more than use my voice at the furry tailed thief (probably I'll miss but it's the thought that counts!).
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