This edition of Short Tails once again involves troublesome chickens, this time it was whilst house sitting in Toulouse, France. If you read Hannah’s previous post – Chicken Bras in Montenegro, you’ll be fully aware of our previous chicken-related adventures. If you think caring for chickens is an easy house sitting assignment, read on and think again!
Chick Chaos in Toulouse
We’d certainly had our fill of chicken issues during our time in Montenegro. However, house sitting in France brought with it a fresh set of poultry concerns. During our 6-week house sit in Toulouse we had our hands full. We were tasked with caring for two great dogs, two adorable cats, a parrot called Vinny (yes she did talk), and a whole host of birds and chickens.
The chicken coop included a group of freshly hatched chicks, who on our arrival were about palm-sized. They were kept separate from the chickens in an isolated section under a special heat lamp. Yes, they were as cute as you’re imagining but very timid and would huddle together whenever anyone got too close.
They were for the most part very easy to look after, this was until about 5 weeks into our stay. Around this time, I’m guessing the chicks entered their teenage years and started pushing the boundaries.
The 1st Attempt
As the chicks started to get bigger their confidence and desire to explore more of the outside world became evident. It was too early for them to be released into gen-pop but that didn’t stop them trying to escape.
During the evening lock-up, I found one brazen little guy who had hopped the fence. He had gone for a wander only to realize there was no way of making it back to safety. With Hannah’s help, I gently caught the frantic chick and placed him back safely where he belonged.
I had hoped (foolishly!) that the young chick had learned a valuable life lesson and wouldn’t try another escape. We couldn’t figure out how this one had escaped and the others hadn’t. The pen was secure but we added a few extra security measures and were content the wandering chick wouldn’t try again.
The Great Escape
A few days later, I found the same chick frantically trying to get back into the enclosure at lights-out. I called Hannah and we again tried to cajole the escapee into a corner where I could grab it.
This time, the chick bolted for the open door of the coop instead of heading to the corner. We now realize we absolutely should have closed both doors, but hindsight is 20-20! The chick escaped into the night and the vast wilderness of the garden and orchard.
The Search Party
Now, during our years of house sitting, Hannah and I have never lost a pet in our care. We’ve looked after some pretty old ones and had a few scares (When Giant Dogs Get Sick) but we’ve successfully handed back every single pet happy and healthy to the owners.
The chick-on-the-run posed us with a serious problem. Although we were told by the owners Phill and Damien not to fret too much if something happened to a chick, we were determined to have a full roster accounted for when they returned from Australia.
I geared up like an Arctic explorer with a head torch, thick coat, and gloves to find the missing chick in the thick orchard and bushes.
The Disappearing Trick
With the help of Hannah shining lights from one side of the thick bushes, and Otis the dog by my side, we plied through the garden and orchard for an hour, there was absolutely no sign of the bird. I was cold, wet, and covered in sticky, spikey seedlings – thoroughly pissed off at the situation. We had to call off the search and hope the chick would be waiting by the coop door at first light.
There was no such luck when morning came. However, we did find a cluster of white feathers on the ground and feared the worst. Maybe a fox or badger had managed to get into the orchard and had the chick away. I went searching again but found nothing. We said we’d leave it until the evening and regularly check the coop, but the escaped chick failed to show.
As I went to lock away the rest of the birds that night I had a heavy heart thinking about the poor lost chick. But on entering the coop, there he was! More frantic than ever to get back to the warmth and safety of the chick pen after a wild night.
The Capture
In a comical scene, that I wish someone had filmed, I did a turn about face and sprinted back towards the house. In Scooby-Doo style, I slid next to the glass kitchen windows and manically signaled to Hannah that the chick had returned.
Sensing calm was needed, we both walked back to the coop, closed all the doors behind us, and gently corned the chick. This time Hannah managed to grab it and place it back with its amigos – success! We laugh about how much of an absolute legend the chick must’ve been to its friends and the stories it could tell the others on its return.
We still don’t know how the chick escaped but thankfully it learned its lesson and stayed put during the rest of our stay. The chicks were let out on their own shortly after the owners returned as they were old enough by then, but that one chick, who we nicknamed Houdini, was certainly better prepared than the rest for the big wide world.
More About House Sitting
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