The Three Reds Last Week

Gladys went missing.  It’s like she vanished in thin air.  First she was there and then she wasn’t.  The beautiful big Rhode Island Red Hen, sister to Big Red the Rooster.

She was there when Farmers Nancy and Phil, the first family who raised her from chickhood, visited her on Sunday.  They came with treats for all the chickens but were especially interested in how the Big Red Rooster and his sister, The Big Red Hen, were doing.  They reported that they thought all five of our brood are doing “splendidly.”

That evening when I went to say “goodnight” and lock them in against any marauding hordes, the three Reds (Little Red Hen plus Gladys and Big Red Rooster) were all on the roost.  They were sort of huddled together as if they were leaving room for Slutvana and Snowhite.  Those two, though, were in one of their “I want to be alone” moods and were each occupying a nest box across the coop from the others.

Big Red on Guard Duty?

Monday morning I replenished their food and water but I kept them “cooped up” (so to speak) as I was going to be gone for the better part of two days — Tuesday in Astoria (eyes, glaucoma yadda yadda) and yesterday to Seattle and back (haircuts for both of us).  We arrived home about dusk and once we got Nyel back in the house I went directly to the coop to check on the flock.

Though they had all gone to roost, they came out into the run as soon as they heard me.  All except Gladys.  I called.  I looked in the coop, shining my flashlight EVERYWHERE.  I looked under the coop.  Everywhere.  No Gladys.

This morning, nothing had changed — except that the other chickens seemed very subdued.  Later in the morning they all came onto the East Porch and just stood there looking into the house.  I know they were trying to tell me something…

Feathers on the Lawn

And this afternoon… Nyel looked out the East door and saw two piles of… what?  Leaves?  Feathers?  Yes, feathers.  Were they there this morning?  Last night?  Did it happen Sunday and did I only think I had seen the three reds on the roost?  Who got her?  Did an unleashed dog get into the yard like Elmo did years ago?  When did it happen?

We are all heartbroken…