This was one of those late autumn mornings when the last leaves are falling like rain on the lawn. The air is filled with gold and red drops the size of playing cards and that unique autumn air quality that reminds me of pumpkins passing and the threat of snowflakes.

As I went to open the chicken coops and pour the feed into the feeding pans, I was greeted by one of our black australorps who for the second night running has hidden during the chicken closing time at night and has spent the night by herself outside the coop.

I am calling her Hen Solo. She seems none the worse for wear this morning, but the winter is coming and I know I am going to have to watch out for her. Soon the weather will make her self isolating behavior dangerous.