Post by brigadier on Jul 16, 2014 9:05:51 GMT
Ok so the name isn't original but read this and tell me if she is!
There is a motorway junction about four miles from our house, its stuck out on a limb as it serves the Ouze Bridge and to get to it from the main road there is a 'no man's land' dual carriageway with large roundabouts at either end. I was about to enter the motorway about four days ago and as I negotiated the second roundabout I saw a hen scratching about at the edge. She was a young girl, red feathered laying type with a lovely white set of tail feathers. I did a double take as that is the last place you would expect to see a hen, then I had to enter the motorway.
That evening I told my husband about the hen and we agreed she would probably get eaten by a fox or knocked by a car. I suspect that she had somehow escaped from a lorry transporting her to a farm unit as she appeared 'point of lay'. I had seen a lorry without its side blinds pass my house at the end of last week and thought then how exposed the hens were. Because Id noticed it I strongly believe she came from there as its a funny old world and I firmly believe in serendipity.
A day later and we stopped at the roundabout (there is a police pull in so cheekily parked there) and had a good look. It was very scrubby and overgrown, there was no water source and unfortunately there was no sign of her so believing her gone we abandoned the search.
However last night on the way to the boy's swimming we negotiated the roundabout and I thought "Wonder if we will see the hen?" then amazingly there she was scratting about.
We decided to have another look on the way back so at 8.30pm we parked up again and hubby got out for a good look (I had flip flops on so was useless). We must have been there twenty minutes, the undergrowth was so thick and the area quite large, so he really didnt have a hope, he came back having given up, as he did so I saw a large weed move fractionally, it was a still evening so I said to have one last try where I saw the weed shake, he looked again to no avail and got back in the car to drive home- just as he was pulling away I saw her, his last search had disturbed her and she had run out. Quickly he got out and after a few circles around a large bush and some scrabbling in the undergrowth he emerged triumphant with the hen in his clasp. We quickly put her in a Lidl bag so she wasnt distressed and got her home.
She is a lovely little thing, young and healthy however she was really dehydrated and hungry. We don't think she would have lasted much longer. I'm pleased to say this morning she is happily if somewhat shyly pecking about with the other hens.
My little boy named her, somewhat appropriately I think.
There is a motorway junction about four miles from our house, its stuck out on a limb as it serves the Ouze Bridge and to get to it from the main road there is a 'no man's land' dual carriageway with large roundabouts at either end. I was about to enter the motorway about four days ago and as I negotiated the second roundabout I saw a hen scratching about at the edge. She was a young girl, red feathered laying type with a lovely white set of tail feathers. I did a double take as that is the last place you would expect to see a hen, then I had to enter the motorway.
That evening I told my husband about the hen and we agreed she would probably get eaten by a fox or knocked by a car. I suspect that she had somehow escaped from a lorry transporting her to a farm unit as she appeared 'point of lay'. I had seen a lorry without its side blinds pass my house at the end of last week and thought then how exposed the hens were. Because Id noticed it I strongly believe she came from there as its a funny old world and I firmly believe in serendipity.
A day later and we stopped at the roundabout (there is a police pull in so cheekily parked there) and had a good look. It was very scrubby and overgrown, there was no water source and unfortunately there was no sign of her so believing her gone we abandoned the search.
However last night on the way to the boy's swimming we negotiated the roundabout and I thought "Wonder if we will see the hen?" then amazingly there she was scratting about.
We decided to have another look on the way back so at 8.30pm we parked up again and hubby got out for a good look (I had flip flops on so was useless). We must have been there twenty minutes, the undergrowth was so thick and the area quite large, so he really didnt have a hope, he came back having given up, as he did so I saw a large weed move fractionally, it was a still evening so I said to have one last try where I saw the weed shake, he looked again to no avail and got back in the car to drive home- just as he was pulling away I saw her, his last search had disturbed her and she had run out. Quickly he got out and after a few circles around a large bush and some scrabbling in the undergrowth he emerged triumphant with the hen in his clasp. We quickly put her in a Lidl bag so she wasnt distressed and got her home.
She is a lovely little thing, young and healthy however she was really dehydrated and hungry. We don't think she would have lasted much longer. I'm pleased to say this morning she is happily if somewhat shyly pecking about with the other hens.
My little boy named her, somewhat appropriately I think.
for so much hard work we thank ye!!
