Harriet's Brilliant Plan

 Our chicken saga continues. ALL of them now have very bedraggled tushes. It looks like something grabs a mouthful of feathers, leaving them bald, which wakes them up and they get out of the way. Except, of course,  for the four that were disemboweled or had their tushes torn completely out and the one still in isolation. 

Unfortunately, our chickens appear to be rather stupid. One would think they would figure out to stick together, help each other out....but no! If they see a bare spot - they begin pecking....I wonder how this whole scenario would be different if we'd kept Hitler or Olaf, the roos.

This morning we found blood leading to the chicken door - but then it stopped. No blood inside the coop. There were chickens with missing feathers, but no one had torn skin. No signs of the weasel/ermine....

Harriet - the escape artist

Harriet, above, was the first to escape the brooder as a chick.  She was the first to fly over the fence when they moved outside,  AND, it looks like she is planning to lead all the chickens out of the Horror House to safety.

C'mon - it's one jump and you're over. 

 She did her best to convince Alex they'd be safer in the woods. 

Yes, it IS barely 20*. 

Michael couldn't be convinced either. 

She's lucky the solitary confinement cell is in use. LOL 

Poor girl. She wants back with the group - but we are trying to give her tush time to scab over and maybe grow some feathers. No infection so far - we are keeping our fingers crossed. I know it's doubtful we'll save her, but she doesn't seem to be in pain. 

We are really hoping and praying we can figure this out soon. I've wondered if they all caught some strange disease that gives bald tushes....but it certainly wouldn't have eaten their tush or disemboweled them.....Odd.

We had just been debating if we wanted to pick up 15 chicks at a local store or order specific breeds through the mail.  We were also toying with the idea of getting meat birds this spring/summer.  Then this all began.....I'm not sure I'm cut out to raise and butcher meat birds. I'm not sure anyone would eat them.