Yesterday I was working on the fence at the end of my garden. I didn't put the chickens away - as I often do, I let them put themselves back in the run and they come out at first light.
When I went into the garden this morning, I couldn't see the hens to begin with and then I found them at the site of the fence line, scrabbling away in the recently turned earth where I'd put a couple of new fence posts. Except that there weren't four chickens - only three. The other one appeared to have wandered into the garden at the back of mine.
After putting the three remaining chickens away to prevent any further escapes, I went around the block and knocked on the door of the house immediately behind mine and where I thought the chicken had strayed. It was answered by a woman who hadn't seen a hen but was happy for me to have a look for one in her garden.
The bird wasn't there but my neighbour came into the garden and we discussed chickens, the falling down state of the fence and my massively overgrown Ceanothus which I have said I will chop down. Her name is Carol and she's lived in the house 17 years. I've lived in mine 11 years and this is the first time we've spoken.
I haven't found the chicken (and she was the only one out of the four who regularly laid eggs throughout the winter) but I have found a neighbour!
