Our New Wild "Hen"

So it seems our sexy rooster has lured in a new female fan... this lovely little pheasant has been hanging around the chicken coop for the last few weeks. We first saw her (or possibly a family member) nearer the property line & in the raspberries, but now she's a regular around the chicken run in the mornings when I toss out scratch. The story we're telling ourselves about her is that she's a juvenile recently separated from her mother and has set up camp where food is abundant and the presence of other birds comforting. She's increasingly tame and, unless I'm imagining it, getting prettier by the day. Her tail seems longer & her feather pattern more pronounced. The Dr. Doolittle in me wants her to move in with the chickens so we can keep her warm & fed come winter time. Yes, I know... farmers are tougher than that & guard their birds against dreaded disease-carrying wild birds... uh... yeah, right... not this farmer. So, I am a little less careful than I should be with the scratch in the morning & she feeds within 10 yards or so. Life is very very good.

Our New Wild "Hen"