My banties love their sand baths. This is one of a pair of roosters that hang out together. Both of them were taking advantage of a sunny day recently.
My banties have self-divided into a two tribes which do not mix. Laya and two roosters form ... well, formed one tribe. This rooster and another form the second tribe.
I said "formed" up above, because it seems Laya's tribe is down to two. What took the missing rooster could be anything from the neighbors trespassing cat, a raccoon, an opossum, or maybe, just maybe, a barred owl.
The owl is really suspect this time since the disappearance of the rooster coincides with a predawn sound event that included chicken distress and the weirdest of owl sounds ... not the usual "who cooks for you" call.
I wondered at the time if the owl had struck a chicken off the tree perches they use at night, and as I said the absence of the rooster was noticed shortly after that.
I suppose if a barred owl can take a spotted owl, then a roosting chicken would be owlet's play.
(If you've never seen a chicken in the dark, they are absolutely clueless and helpless)
For now, this one is still strutting around and enjoying the simple pleasures of a sand bath in the Pure Florida sun.
See for yourself.
11 comments:
You need no boost! You have a lot of us fans!
We will soon be able to have hens here in the city of Sarasota. There is an organization here named Citizens Lobbying for Urban Chicken Keeping (CLUCK) that is working with the City Commission to develop Urban Chicken Keeping ordinances that will work for both sides of the debate. I look forward to building my coop! I can't wait!
I could see the owl being the culprit, we have a barred owl around here and he is brave enough to come down into our yard within feet of us.
Lisa,
Thanks! I was just having some fun.
Kenneth,
Fantastic! I hope you get the change you wish for. What a great name for your organization.
Idyllic,
MIne do that too in the summer when they are raising chicks around here.
CHICKENS ROCK! Love, love love them!
I Love your chickens.
Dani,
LOL! I KNEW you would love this post. You need an organization like CLUCK too.
Eileen,
WELCOME to Pure Florida! Those chickens add a lot of spice to the place.
UH oh.
Yep, we's got a few agreessive owls heah abouts too--reckon youse down one so the owl population can continue. Heh.
As fer Jr an the deer roadblock? Ain't it fun that ya live where a next classroom teacher can spot ya in a semi-emergency?
Seems last week was a rough one on a passel of folks.
As fer titillatin' post titles, be careful what ya start-- how wiull ya answer all them newcomers?
Aunty,
I will bat my eyes and say, "Why, whatevah wuz you thinkin?"
LOL!
... and yes, it's nice to have leave saved up and a recip agreement with your buddies next door. We help each other out just to survive.
ME too! i have two factions going on over here. The old hat faction and the (ahem) new hat faction. (once i got rid of my 11 roosters). It's quite fun and interesting to watch the wars, and the sharing, and all the nonsense they do daily. :) Glad you have some of it over there.
j
Unlike spider I love chickens, this are one the most amazing animals, even though they can not fly. Since I was a child I've had chickens in my house, and maybe for that reason, I love them so much.
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