# Big fright!



## Spear (May 8, 2016)

I got such a scare on Sunday afternoon.
I went to check my hens and collect eggs, and only 5 of the 6 came running to greet me. Not too unusual as sometimes one is sometimes in the hen house eating from the feeder or resting behind a bush and didn't notice me coming so I didn't worry until I found a load of black feathers in front of the garden house door! The feathers were all wet (it's been raining a lot these past few days) and dirty and it sort of looked like there had beed a struggle there. 
Naturally my heart sinks I think the worst has happened to my poor dear Houdini, who has just a few days ago gotten over her broody spell and joined her flock again.
The others all look relaxed and healthy so I'm wondering what could of gotten Houdini but left the others.
I go to collect the eggs and open the nest box only to find Houdini standing looking at the eggs in puzzlement like she is not sure why she even had the urge to sit on them before. 
I just had to laugh with releif at finding my precious little hen safe and sound! 
Still don't know where all the feathers came from as both my black hens are looking well feathered with no visible bald spots...


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

They could still be molting. Some birds go nekked when the molt, others it a few feathers here a few feathers there.

Happy to know Houdini was safe. She's probably thinking it's time to start laying again. Or the hormones have fired back up and she's thinking about going broody again. That isn't unusual with young birds who haven't completed the cycle by hatching peeps.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I get a missing hen now and then. The last one, spending nights Gawd knows where has been discovered to be hiding on a shelf on an upside down rubber ban.


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## zamora (May 26, 2015)

Glad you found her safe and sound!


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