Saga of Ilse (the chicken), the bobcat and the Chicken Lady's daughter

Eugene, Oregon
March 4, 2017 11:40am CST
My last post told of a woman I spoke to in the store where I work who told me of her ill and disabled chickens which she keeps in the house. The one story I need to tell separately is about Ilse, one of her house chickens. Ilse got her station in the house thanks to a hungry bobcat that snatched Ilse out in the yard one day. It happened that this snatch was witnessed by the woman's teenage daughter who was walking out the back door at the time. The attack, the woman told me earnestly, was also witnessed by a wild turkey hen (we have lots of wild turkeys here) who had lost most of her brood to the bobcat or other predators. So, both the daughter and the turkey hen ran screaming at the bobcat who was so startled that he (or she) dropped Ilse and fled. Ilse's neck was bloody and damaged, so a trip to the vet was needed to save her, followed by a place in the house and eye dropper feedings while her damaged throat healed. Actually, she became a permanent house chicken..
5 people like this
6 responses
@LadyDuck (502979)
• Italy
5 Mar 17
James I love this sweet story. Poor hen, she surely had a scary moment, but such a wonderful owner.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (502979)
• Italy
6 Mar 17
@JamesHxstatic We think that chickens are stupid animals, but it is not true. They can learn simple things and they obey too.
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• Eugene, Oregon
6 Mar 17
@LadyDuck I never knew this before, Anna.
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• Eugene, Oregon
6 Mar 17
Yes, it was a great animal story she shared.
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@JudyEv (382811)
• Rockingham, Australia
5 Mar 17
What a wonderful lady. I chased a crow once that was carrying off a baby chicken but I couldn't make him drop it.
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• Eugene, Oregon
6 Mar 17
Crows are very smart but quite predatory as well.
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• Eugene, Oregon
6 Mar 17
@JudyEv Oh, they are really scavengers then like vultures, but they are quite intelligent as well.
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@JudyEv (382811)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Mar 17
@JamesHxstatic They are indeed. There are some YouTube clips on them solving puzzles.
@shaggin (74987)
• United States
5 Mar 17
Aww what a sweet ending for this story. Chickens can be very sweet and funny. Two of my friends raise chickens and my mother did as well. I would have been terrified going after a bobcat like that but it worked out well in this case.
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• Eugene, Oregon
7 Mar 17
Yes it did.
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@celticeagle (190152)
• Boise, Idaho
4 Mar 17
Good for them! Funny what some women( or mom animals) come up with to protect their broods.
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• Eugene, Oregon
4 Mar 17
Yes it is. I hope she comes in again with more chicken tales.
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@celticeagle (190152)
• Boise, Idaho
5 Mar 17
@JamesHxstatic ......They are cute. I remember my grams chickens. SHe had a pair of chickens that laid small brown eggs. Those were the best eggs ever.
@allknowing (153529)
• India
5 Mar 17
She sure deserves a medal. This reminds me of how mother saved a chick. The kite had dropped it and the chick was badly hurt. Its beak was twisted. She could not eat on her own. Mother fed her everyday twice or thrice.
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@allknowing (153529)
• India
6 Mar 17
@JamesHxstatic This happened many years ago. The chick did survive.
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• Eugene, Oregon
6 Mar 17
That was very kind or her. I hope the chick survived.
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@teamfreak16 (43710)
• Denver, Colorado
5 Mar 17
The turkey got involved? How funny.
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• Eugene, Oregon
5 Mar 17
She had a grudge against that cat I guess.
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