So periodically animals are dumped on our property.  Tom spotted a couple of hens several days ago.  He caught them and put them in the barnyard, but they escaped again, probably because they did not know where the food was and the rest of the flock chased them out.  We couldn’t catch them again until today I managed to herd them into the barnyard and then into the chicken feed pen.  Here they are after they ate.

These birds spent several days without proper water or food under the threat of our dogs and the busy road out front.  They were thin and starving when I got them today.

Usually if we are asked we will take animals in or give a reference to someone else who might.  Dumping animals is a disservice to the animals and the people dumped on.  These birds could carry an infectious disease that could now infect our flock.  If I had been contacted I would have arrange to have these birds in quarantine and then carefully introduced to the flock while being provided with proper shelter and nutrition.  Our business cards are in our produce stand with our email address and phone number so we can easily be contacted before dumping animals on us.