A terrible thing happened this evening. The Wellington wind blew the chicken house door shut prematurely stopping our chooks from returning home to roost at dusk.

By the time I got home (a little after dusk) they were huddled in the corner of the pen seeking refuge from the wind. Or I thought. As I cajoled them back into the chicken house I was alarmed to only be able to count three instead of four feathered friends.

Not wishing to panic I headed off to the free range area to see if the missing chook was sheltering in the bush. Put no.

Still not wishing to panic I thought it was time for a bigger search party and headed of to get the assistance of MT. Just in the nick of time the missing chook clucked at me from where she was hiding – on top of the chicken house roof, or more precisely on top of the chook pen fence is next to the roof where she was comfortably roosting (well apart from a gusty wind).

In definite need of assistance for a rescue I had to fetch the step ladder and torch. Fortuantly the chook was either scared witless or simply a placid hen since she hardly flinched when I dragged her off her roof top roost and put her back with the George and the other ladies in their home.

Since it was getting pretty dark I can’t tell you which of our fine hens had decided to roost high. I’m just glad that we found her and she was returned to her rightful place. You can be sure that the door hook will be sorted tomorrow to cope with the winter winds.

I’m afraid it was not a moment for photoblogging so you’ll have to make do with a picture to capture the sense of the moment!