Oyster Cracker has always loved to snuggle with me. Yesterday was no exception. As the clouds cleared from the sky and the sun emerged from behind it’s blanket, I went out to spend some quality time with the chickens.
Oyster Cracker jumped into my lap as soon as the coop door sprang open. Like a happy, but hefty, little piece of popcorn, up she hopped. She snuggled underneath of my chin. She smelled me. She nuzzled and she just couldn’t seem to get close enough. She kept pushing in towards my chest. Once in a while, she pulled away to take a good look at me. She always says the same things when I pet her. ” Doh, Doh, Doooooh.” The other chickens stand and observe, waiting their turns. We enjoyed our time together, talking and hugging. Then, out of nowhere, she pecked at my ear. No sooner did I react and she pecked at the other one. Oh my God, she just ate my pearl earrings!
She was so fast and so stealthlike, I wondered if she secretly had planned her attack for weeks. You see, I never take these pearl earrings off. I have had them for years and they have become a permanent fixture on my earlobes. Now I feared, they are in my chicken’s crop. Dear God, please help. I felt her crop and it was enlarged and full from the afternoon’s goodies. I didn’t dare poke around too much for fear of perforating her crop. My chicken was going to need emergency surgery to remove my earrings!
I returned her to the coop and looked on the ground. Nothing. I frantically searched for about 10 minutes and found the back of the left earring still on my ear. Then I saw it. Shining in the sun about 3 feet away to the left is my earring. Thank you Lord! Maybe, she only ate one. Searching for what seemed a needle in a haystack as veterinarian bills danced through my mind, I finally recovered the right earring about 4 feet away from me. She didn’t eat it after all.
I never did fing the back to my right earring. After about an hour of searching, I gave up. Things could have ended up a lot worse. Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend but Oyster Cracker definitely prefers pearls.
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| My recovered stolen goods |
6 thoughts on “The Great Jewelry Heist”
Baaaad chicken!
My dear departed Hatsy had a secret desire to peck my eyeballs out.
I'm glad I wear glasses.
You're right! I am a lucky girl that she didn't go after my eyes. Safety glasses just might be in order. Who knew "chicken lover" was such a hazardous occupation!
OMG…..the little devil, but I can relate….
A while back I was installing a thermostat inside the hen house and made the mistake of putting down one of the screws. Naturally, the curious girls where right there with me asking "whatcha doing??" When I went to reach for the screw to install it was gone. I frantically looked everywhere and never did I find it. I actually cried at my stupidity and worry for the girls…(I pictured all kinds of medical bills too). It's crazy love having these hens!
That's terrible Maryann. I was almost to tears too, like a frantic mother looking for a lost child, only it was the earring. Thank you for sharing your experience with me. I am going to be so cautious from now on. Their motto seems to be "Peck first, ask questions later"…
I had a hen pull the gold stud out of my ear and eat it. I know she did, because I saw her swallow it! I tried but was just too slow to grab it back. She didn't come to any harm though. She survived many more years. Now I make sure my hair covers my ears before I snuggle the Girls!
Always so good to know that it comes out in the end. Thanks Alisa for sharing your experience too!