DH woke me up at 6 telling me that it was all quiet and all the doors had opened etc. He didn't mean to wake me up. He got up, I was dozing and asked if he was OK, and he got chatty.
A few minutes later, a deep and horrible wailing started. I pretended to be asleep for a few minutes, but DH did the same and won the game. I got up.
Outside, as I strode across the cold, wet, grass, no one was making a noise. As I approached the Run, intent on finding Violet and putting her in the Brown Box, my mind was processing the voice I'd heard. I wasn't sure it was Violet.
Violet started to whinge as I unlocked the run door, and that confirmed for me that it wasn't her. I ran through the hen voice catalogue in my mind and realised it was Annie, in the other run.
Annie looked at me like butter wouldn't melt in her beak. I didn't have anywhere to shut her in; There is a spare brown box nest box under their cube, but it doesn't have a door. I'd have to catch her, and then get her in the other coop to shut her in one of the boxes there.
I couldn't face it. Catching hens in the Evacuee run is hard work, because there is a huge Jostaberry bush that shares their run. Great for them, but difficult to negotiate even at a walk.
I let everyone out instead, which I realise was a mistake.
It was a mistake because tomorrow they will be expecting to be let out into the garden at 6.15am.
It was a mistake because I can't leave them unattended at that time, it's a good time for foxes.
It was a mistake because Annie, who is a quick learner, will assume that being gobby gets Mummy to come and let her out.
I can't go back to bed anway because I have Pilates at 9. If I get back in bed I'll lie awake worrying about foxes until about 7.30, then start to doze, and then feel like c**p when I have to get up in time to get ready.
I've fed the cats. I've done my banking. I've read my emails.
And now I'm here.
