Justin and Claui's chickens are free range these days and when the lone bantam hen went missing, they assumed the worst. Things happen to chickens, as my grandfather told me when I asked him about the normal lifespan of a chicken. And we have foxes, coyotes, blacksnakes, and hawks all around, ready for a chicken dinner.
Imagine their surprise when , after weeks, the little banty showed up, trailed by one outsize chick. Whether the chick is her own -- thanks to Justin's regular sized rooster -- or from an egg one of the other hens laid in her hidden nest, there couldn't be a prouder mama.
She was nameless until this happy event but now Justin is calling her Khaleesi, for the <other of Dragons in Game of Thrones.
We are hopeful that she'll continue to outwit the predators . . .
Khaleesi is staying close to the barn where she had her nest, accepting daily offerings of chicken food . . .
And she is staying vigilant.
