Homesteaders

Two of my neighbors are at odds with each other. I won't go into the details, but it involves dogs and commercial small animals, including chickens and rabbits. The "war" escalated, but it seems a peace is being worked out. Unfortunately, there were casualties.

About three weeks ago, I noticed a hen wandering in the yard against the neighbor's fence. Closer inspection revealed a friar tuck appearance to her tail. The feathers were gone, and only skin was exposed. According to witnesses, one of the spatting neighbor's group of younger dogs decimated a group of chickens, and the hen in the yard was one of the wounded. 

Over the next few days, she wandered closer, eventually found food under the bird feeder, and I found her one morning roosting on our porch. That wasn't acceptable, so when she ventured up late the next evening, I chased her off, and she went under the porch. 

A few days later, a rooster appeared with similar injuries, except only the tail feathers were gone, and no skin was exposed. He looked young, and after observing him for days, I think my assessment of his age was correct. He didn't crow, although that might have been a result of the trauma. 

The two have decided their home is under our porch. They forage with the wild birds, and a handful of feed on the ground will guarantee they have something to eat. The rooster started crowing, and the gravely crow is gaining strength as he practices. 

So, now the chickens my wife wanted have arrived. We had originally planned to build a small coop, but nixed the idea after she really thought about it. I foresee some future problems, since chickens - like all birds - poop wherever the urge arrives. That, and I'm wondering if the hen is laying the eggs snakes find so delicious under the porch. We'll see, but like all other chapters in my life, I can't jump to the end to find out what happened.