Many people think that chickens are stupid, only good for egg production or meat, and devoid of emotional intelligence. Not so. Early this morning I heard a terrible squawking from the back yard and, when I went to investigate, there was Sussex looking for her babies. The above picture was taken a couple of weeks ago when she thought she’d lost her third chick, a Thumbelina-sized ball of cotton wool, but luckily it turned up later in the day. A similar, happier picture featured in my last post.
It doesn’t look so hopeful today as, hours later, I can still hear Sussex calling them and her squawk is desperate and grief-stricken. Son, Husband and I have looked everywhere, but we can’t find them either, so we are all upset because this is the first time one of our chooks has produced chicks and Sussex has been such an incredible mother.
I am full of hope and dread.
jmgoyder 
Great blog mad bird lady!! keep up the good work x
Ok, mad cake lady! I will mention your incredible cake-making abilities in my next post if you have made any bird-themed ones….
Oh – I hope you find them Julie – there are a lot of birds of prey about at the moment – they’re so fragile. One of my faverolle babies got her eye pecked by something and it looked like she lost it on the weekend – but after the swelling went down the eye was still there. I just watch the little ones – waiting and waiting for something to kill them!
Did she get pecked by another faverolle in a sibling-rivalry way or was it something else?
Oh no, have you found them yet? We only have one chook left. She seems to have fallen for Brian 🙂 and waits for him at the gate.
Haven’t found them – it’s awful isn’t it. Please don’t lose your last chook!
If this one dies I’m giving up.
No! You can’t give up. I am learning the hard way that deaths are inevitable.