The ghost in the run

[Marigold]

Went down to check and feed the chickens this afternoon - only four, not five. Where was Pearl?

I heard a sort of bumping noise which I thought was coming from the coop, so thought she must be in there laying an egg. So I got on and gave the evening treats to the rest of them, then checked the coop, which was empty. The bumping noise continued, so I looked around.
Yesterday I'd emptied the muck bucket, and I saw to my surprise that it was upside down and moving around the floor of the run!
Pearl was inside! When I lifted it up she wasn't harmed, just anxious to get to the plate before all the corn and greens were gone. I think it must have just happened, probably when they were all milling around by the door trying to be first in line when I opened the door with the treats, and she somehow upended the bucket over herself. She's just a little leghorn, so fitted inside quite neatly, but wasn't big enough to throw the bucket off. It would have made a really funny bit of video if I'd had my camera handy.

[Tweetypie]

Ahhh poor Pearl. Amazing how the sight and smell of food is always at the forefront of their minds.... but thank goodness she wasn't harmed.

[LadyA]

poor pearl! Good thing you found her!
I used to have a hen called pearl. An enormous speckledy. She lived to be 5 1/2. At first, she was bottom of the pecking order, but as other hens died and then I got a new batch, she rose to the top, and my goodness, did she turn into a dictator! She was the one I mentioned in another thread, that I used to have to remove from the coop at bedtime, and hold her until the others had had a chance to go in to bed, because she'd go in early, and then stand in the doorway and refuse to allow any of the other hens in! They'd all be queuing up on the ramp as it got dark, getting panicky! During the day though, she was brilliant. Always had her eyes alert for anything that might be a danger, and I could hear her from the house, alerting the entire neighbourhood if she thought anything was amiss! She also had the habit of "babysitting" any hen in the nest box. She'd accompany them in, and sit beside them cooing gently until they were done, and then come out with them!