Self Preservation

A dog fox trotted through the Ukrainian Village this afternoon. I saw him as I was gardening in the front garden. He circled Irene who was eating cheap white bread which was a gift from the neighbours. She stamped her feet angrily at him as he went by. 
In a shot the Bachelors appeared at the field gate, and within seconds they tottered noisily across the lane to the safety of the garden next door where they sat chattering on the low stone wall. 
It never fails to impress me just how clever peanut brained animals can be when self preservation is involved.


They stayed in the garden watching me prune the buddleia for an age, and two hours after they first arrived, I walked them back to the field, when the fox was long gone.

23 comments:

  1. Awww, I am so glad that they knew what to do and stayed safe !

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  2. how is irene doing now? and have you seen auntie glad lately?

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    1. Funny you ask that AM , I AM going to see her Monday afternoon . Irene still needs a friend. I have advertised for one but no luck as yet. She may need to wait for lambing in spring. A hand reared orphan may be on the cards

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  3. I like to think of chickens as being exceptionally brilliant in chicken matters.

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  4. Aren't roosters supposed to protect their hens? Or am I just blinded by old gender stereotypes?

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    1. They are only six inches high! And only have each other!

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  5. Much smarter than many people give them credit.

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  6. Smart AND beautiful, but do they suffer from short-person syndrome? :)

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  7. Do you know what breed they are? They're lovely.

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  8. They are beautiful, but can't believe they didn't end up dinner.

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  9. Lets hope the fox forgets where he saw them.

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  10. I'm afraid that when Mr Fox had my lot, they were enclosed in their over-night pen, and couldn't escape. He killed all 25 (this was about 40 years ago).

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  11. I didn't know dogs could do the fox trot!

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  12. The batchelors are really beautiful. I am so glad they stayed safe.

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  13. Those peanut brained animals could probably teach of few "human brained" some lessons occasionally. Anna

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  14. I'm sorry to learn your neighbors give you cheap white bread.

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  15. I was just thinking about this when I watched a fly get caught in the web of a large spider yesterday. Without any previous experience, they know that they must stay perfectly still for the best chance of survival.

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  16. Your bachelors remind me of our three little Brahma roosters. Called them the Three Tenors (an actual trio). They were pretty good at survival instinct, too. -Jenn

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  17. Animals and birds are a lot cleverer than we give them credit for.

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  18. I don't find my chooks dumb. They are remarkably clever at what is important to them, like knowing who is the food provider, how to get out of the chook pen, the faces and intents of their fellow chooks, and they can peck up a black sunflower seed on dark earth way faster than I can even see it! We just need to stop looking at animals as having less intelligence because theirs' is different

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    1. What the hell is that apostrophe doing there? :D

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