Mystery Chicken

A tiny chicken just moved in from who knows where

This tiny mystery chicken has made itself at home here

It’s not unusual to have the occasional wild bird show up here at the Acre. There’s a small flock of ducks that’s been stopping by for a few days in the fall for years now (we think it’s the family of a pair of English Call ducks who went native in the early 00’s).

There’s also a bevy of California quail that will stop over and camp for a couple days in the oak valley before scuttling on over to the nature preserve.

Plus the exotic bird farm over the hill has a breakout every so often. We’ve had visits from wild turkeys, peafowl, pheasants, and Guinea fowl (one of whom decided to stay).

That said, in all our decades here, until the day before yesterday we never had a chicken show up and move in. Coyotes and bobcats generally make sure domestic poultry doesn’t last long unprotected.

Nonetheless, now we’ve got this odd little hen who showed up from who-knows-where. She was just standing outside the chicken coop one morning waiting to be let in.

Mystery chicken stretching her neck when she walks

The mystery chicken making herself at home in the coop

I don’t know what breed she is (Seabright maybe?), but she is tiny. About 1/3rd the size of the Buffs and Wyandottes. She’s quiet and very shy too.

Ah well, who knows. Maybe she’s a lucky mystery chicken. We can always use a little luck.