"I will not abide another toe!"

For two nights in a row, I have been awoken by the sounds of screaming chickens. Clearly, our perimeters have been breached.

The first night resulted in nothing more than a brief chorus of chaos inside the coop and a half nude sprint to the flock to verify its safety. Last night, on the other hand, our flock was not so lucky.

Upon hearing the chickens again, I bolted out onto the deck, scaring away our phantom predator. Unfortunately, I arrived just a few minutes too late...

Lodged between the door and frame was a very unlucky hen. Apparently en route to its dining quarters, the predator left the chicken wedged in place in its haste to avoid my wrath. At first glance, she appeared in bad shape. Shocked, bleeding, and noticeably hurt, her chances at survival didn't look good.

But where there's a will, there's a way. This hen has proved herself to be quite the trooper. Aside from a bad limp and unattractive head wound, she appears to be on the path to recovery. After a rough morning, she spent the day drinking, eating, and resting. We'll keep a watchful eye on her over the next few days and monitor her progress. Keep your fingers crossed.

In the meantime, I'll be waiting patiently to greet our uninvited guest with some sort of unpleasant projectile...