Whoa....

Newborn bantam chick next to a quarter.

Here I was, sitting at the pc, about to post the above pic.  Suddenly, the guineas started an awful, frantic squawking...their "something's in the yard" squawk.  Then a chicken ran across the patio, squawking even louder than the guineas, followed closely by a red streak.  I jumped up and looked out another window just in time to see the same chicken, running like mad, from a fox!!

I knew we had foxes on the property, as well as in the surrounding area.  I'd seen the dens, and lost guineas and other critters to what I assumed were either fox, owl, or raccoon prowlers.  But I had never, until today, actually seen a fox.

I suppose the critters will have to stay locked up until a little later in the morning from now on.  It's time for kits (fox puppies), and the other predators will also be bringing forth new life, or splorting out spawn...depending on how you want to look at it.

A lot of people are under the impression that wildlife will not come near humans.  Ha!! We've had a coyote right on the patio, as well as a baby groundhog that actually stood up and looked in the window.  The fox, of course, ran right up against the house.  I've had deer peeping into my bedroom, raccoons and 'possums knocking at the front door, and a few too many close encounters of the skunky kind..  It only makes sense that, when animals live in such close proximity to humans, they just get used to us.

So...back to that cute little pic at the top of the page...

Two of Little Sis' pet bantams are currently broody and sharing a nest.  So far, two chicks have hatched, and the mother hens are still sitting.  She put a couple of guinea eggs underneath them, in addition to a few heavy breed chicken eggs.  We're all anxious to see what hatches. 

It's a good thing the free range bantams are so prolific, considering the hungry fox....