08/31/2026
Federally protected bad baby got one of my 4 month old Ameraucanas in it’s safe spot in the raspberry bushes WHILE I WAS OUTSIDE in the other part of the yard on Friday afternoon, and today (Monday afternoon) I came home from errands to find it IN the big coop (in the large dog crate I use as integration space, etc in that coop) with my friendliest, so soft and sweet Cream Crested Legbar I hatched her on April 4th recently gotten. We were equally shocked to see each other and I closed the crate door to figure out logistics (called the warden) for a second and keep myself and the other birds safe. I knew I couldn’t harm it, but I also didn’t feel like I could safely get it out of the coop by myself with the other birds there. Luckily a warden was nearby and able to help me get it out. The crows had been very vigilant about helping me with the territory this spring, but since I’ve had my broken ankle I have not been feeding them the past two months. I called them over after the incident on Friday and they are starting to come back, but need to have them reclaim this territory to keep the hawks away and alert to any other intruders. My black Ameraucana rooster is very vigilant, but the younger birds have their own clique so he didn’t make it over in time on Friday from about 40 feet across the yard, and I didn’t get over there in time either since I’m hobbling along. The 3-5 month old Ameraucanas are all in a small coop together now and I coaxed everyone else in to their big coop for an early bedtime after seeing he or she was already back scoping to finish his or her meal. They hadn’t gone far after the release.
•
As of now, the plan is to have the dogs outside more again, only have the full size birds out in their run and keep the smaller birds in the smaller coop. The legbar it got today was almost full grown and a solid weight when I moved her to the chest freezer. My neighbor and I will be burying the two recently deceased birds tomorrow. Sad reality of farm life.
