When I went out to do that last bit of shoveling, Miz Pritty the chicken had gone on to where ever it is she spends the night. Lest you get the wrong idea, I don’t think it’s easy being a stray chicken in the neighborhood. I caught her slurping up water that was melting from my car the other day. Finding water in a cold stretch and in deep snow can’t be easy. Every couple days I break open an old apple for her and the other birds and no doubt that’s a little moisture for them too. It’s too cold to put water out unless you have an electric heater to go along with it.
Anyway her big tracks led down the steps, across the path to the driveway and to the road and traveled north again to where ever she is sheltering for the night.
No doubt she’ll be back tomorrow to scarf up some more sunflower seeds and to peck at what’s left of the apple and to turn her red eye towards all the chickadees, juncos and titmice that come to the porch for food. I’m not sure what the little birds think of the big one but they seem to get along all right.
So glad you are helping this poor critter. Loved your discription of it’s life is beautiful.