Rogue Chicken at the New House

My girlfriend Emma and I moved this weekend from London (Finsbury Park) to the village of Great Wymondley.

After getting out of the car, we were walking up to our new house when Emma said, "There's a chicken in our garden."  Sure enough, sitting in a flower bed in the front garden (I still want to say "yard" for "garden") was a live chicken.

As we went back and forth throughout the day moving stuff into the house, the chicken came and went, and at one point appeared to be digging into the flower bed to make a nest (I know nothing about chickens; maybe it was trying to dig for food, or possibly to China).  Later on that day, the chicken was gone.

Today, Emma called to chat while I was working, and said that she'd been sitting in the back garden enjoying the sunshine.  She got up to go inside, and found the chicken standing at the back patio door (which was open), looking into the house as though trying to decide whether or not to go on in.  The chicken wandered off as Emma approached, and hasn't been seen since.

So far living in the country is great.  Despite the random poultry encounters, it's exceptionally quiet. 

was a live chicken.

Much better than a dead one! 

I like having feathered visitors. We get the occasional chicken here, too!

We live on the water and in the morning the swans sit in the water right outside our balcony door and wait for me to feed them... because ive been feeding them nearly everyday for 2 years.

Maybe the person that lived there before you was feeding it.

Funny story! 

I'll be interested to hear what you think of Great Wymondley and your new home.

Ahhhh! I have always wanted chickens...I have been saying for years that when I finally move to somewhere they would love to roam ( not a terrace house ) I would go rescue some battery farm hens. 

I would go get a couple more and a coup.  Freshly laid eggs are the best! and a massive difference in taste compared to ones you buy in the shop...they are scrumptious 

You should give the little lady a name...

How about "Finger Licken" or "Omelette" ??

 

Much better than a dead one! 

 

Maybe the person that lived there before you was feeding it.

Later on in the day, I saw it following a woman who I think lives across the way, so I'm guessing it's her chicken, and it was just visiting us.

You should give the little lady a name...

I don't want to name her in case she a) already has a name, or b) will eventually be the main course for Sunday roast at the neighbor's house.  Maybe next time we're out walking we'll try to find out what the chicken's story is. 

I'll be interested to hear what you think of Great Wymondley and your new home.

I've only been there about 24 hours or so total, but so far I really like it.  The house is in very nice shape, and the village feels remote, but it's only about 1.5 miles to the Hitchin rail station, and then 25 minutes to London, so it's really not that far.  There's a church dating from 1209 (!) and one pub, and that's it for the village.  As one of my American buddies at work said, "Dude, you're not going to be living in London anymore; you're going to be living in England." 

Carl