Life's little surprises :) Cats & Chickens

You won't believe this but when I went out to close up the chicken coop tonight, everyone was sleeping so I quietly started counting heads - which I do every night. 1, 2, 3,...7. It was then that my flashlight hit the straw-filled nesting boxes where I saw my cat, Tom, curled up sleeping in one of the nesting boxes! The chickens are so use to Tom hanging out in the coop with them that they didn't even give a thought to him sleeping with them. What a goofy cat! ~~ Tom has been with free ranging chickens since the day he was born so they are one big happy family. ...I just wish I had had my camera with me. :)

Too cute. What a cat.
So you count heads too. When we let our out in the yard we always count. One night we didn't and the next day we found one of our best little hens way out back near the woods, well, actually we found her feathers, that was all that was left.
We found a couple of chickens in the dog house with our dog once when it was raining. Wish I had a camera ready at the time as well.

Our chickens are so used to our dog and cat hanging around that I actually worry that if OTHER one's come around, our girls won't even know enough to run! I, too, count heads. I'm a little obsessive about it---sometimes I do it two or three times a day when I pass by the coop....kinda've like an obsessive mother out with her children at the beach!

We get so attached to the girls that loosing one is devastating. They all have such individual personalities. The one we lost was a sassy little RIR that loved to go in the garden with me and grab what I dug as fast as she could. I miss her.
Our chickens are also so used to the cat and dog that I'm afraid as well they may not run when something comes that isn't friendly. Our 2 year old chickens and our dog were all born about the same time so they are the same age and grew up together. They are so used to the dog that when we throw things out to them in the yard the dog comes up and eats with them. It's a funny picture, a dog and chickens eating together.

Glad to hear it's just not MY chickens... LOL :)

Well, tonight I went out to the coop again, and yes, there was Tom setting on the nest, keeping 3 eggs warm. ....I think that this may become a habbit. I've GOT to remember my camera tomorrow!!

Glenda ~:>

Glenda, are you sure Tom isn't a hen in cat's clothing?

GG

I'm beginning to wonder if HE thinks he's a hen!!!! ....He was doing a good job of keeping the eggs warm.

Looking at it through a cat's eyes, I guess if you can't eat them, join them!
;)

Very good idea at that....LOL

GG

How neat, Glenda! I took a video of our young chickens
chasing my 1 yr old kitty Unachi, off. Unachi will lay down
right in the middle of the chickens scratching. It is too cute.
And, our dogs are 11 and 4 yrs, and both mingle on the
edge of them, but are only curious. I will gladly take the
trade off of our furries not bothering the chickens, for an
occasional loss to some other critter because of not being
afraid. So far all is well, but with free range, I know that
losing one is a possibility.