Continuing saga of the chicken in the yard

I kept telling myself as long as it was only one chicken that she wouldn’t cause a problem. So I kind of quit looking for the hole she was finding to get into the yard. That was until I caught her in an onion tub looking quite cheerful as she tromped down the onions. 

But now she is getting spiteful. I heard her doing her “murder scream” a few mornings ago. Upon going to the back door, she was standing on the back step looking up at the window and just screaming. I think she has now decided it is a contest. But I got her back. Her first line of defense when I try to chase her out of the yard is to run under the lilac bush. So I got the hose, turned the water on and proceeded to spray into the lilac bush until she came running out. Well, I found another place she can get through the fence. It is a tight squeeze for her but she went between the front gate and the gatepost. I think I can fix that. I also caught her trying to get through the same space on the north gate. So that one is already fixed. 

I have left them shut in the run for the past few days. It is actually two fold. I lost a hen last week, I don’t know if it was a hawk, a fox, or a coyote. I didn’t find any sign of a struggle. So I am leaning toward a hawk, but they do go over the edge of the hill and the foxes do come up close so it could have grabbed her and taken off. Leaving them shut up with let the fox know that the easy food isn’t available and hopefully it will move on to other easier things to catch, like bunnies and such.

So now that I am pretty sure I have all of the holes stopped up, I may turn them back out this week to see if that rascal of a hen can find a new place to get through the fence. I guess if she gets in again, I will go into undercover mode and just spend a whole day watching to see if I can figure it out. 

Oh well, that is the problem with livestock. It doesn’t matter if it is small like chickens or rabbits, medium sized like sheep or goats, or big like cows or horses, there is always at least one that is going to try the fences. 

Italian chicken bake 

2-3 medium zucchini

1 fryer, cut up or 4 chicken hind quarters. 

1 jar spaghetti sauce of your choice. 

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Slice unpeeled squash in ½ inch slices. Arrange in the bottom of a 3 quart baking dish. Place chicken, skin side up over zucchini. Pour spaghetti sauce over evenly. Bake uncovered in hot oven (400º) 30 minutes. Baste chicken with drippings, bake another 30 minutes Top with parmesan cheese and return to the oven for a few minutes for the cheese to melt.