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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 16, 2021)
COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL | SEPTEMBER 16, 2021 | 3A ‘Safeway chicken’ finds new roost By Damien Sherwood dsherwood @cgsentinel.com After spending about a month nesting in a gro- cery store parking lot, a feathery local celebri- ty dubbed the “Safeway chicken” has been relocat- ed to a new home. Kristi Schoolcraft, an area animal rescuer, was finally the one to capture the elusive hen and add her to Schoolcraft’s own flock of chickens. “She’s going to have plenty of friends,” she said. Over the past month, the chicken had become well-known to regular Safeway patrons and staff, but her origin story re- mained a mystery — and no one could catch her. Schoolcraft was no stranger to chicken wran- gling, though, and knew the situation would be a challenge. “I fully did not expect to be able to catch her at all because I’ve got chickens of my own and they’re in a 500-square-foot coop,” she said. “But they’re hard to catch in a coop, so I’m like, ‘There’s no way in broad daylight that I’m gonna get her in this huge parking lot.’” One advantage School- craft may have had above others, however, is a par- ticular tenacity when it comes to rescuing ani- mals. “I find a lot of comfort working with animals,” she said. “And it always just seemed to come easi- ly to me. So, I opened up a rescue at my home.” She hopes to one day even achieve nonprofit status. While she specializes in rescuing potbellied pigs, Schoolcraft hasn’t found an animal she could turn away yet. “I have a very soft spot for every animal when it comes down to it,” she said. As a rescuer, she has taken care of roosters, tortoises, rats, mice, fer- rets and rabbits to name a few. “I don’t turn down any animal based on back- ground breed species,” she said. “It doesn’t matter to me. They’re all animals and they all need help.” The latest animal to make the list was a hen she’d heard was staking out a place in Cottage Grove’s Safeway parking lot. “I was just browsing Facebook, actually, and it popped up on my feed,” she said. “And nobody seemed to really know who her owners were.” Schoolcraft and her sister came into town to check the bushes around the parking lot for signs and found the hen had made several nesting spots. “We didn’t end up find- ing her but we did find several areas with plen- ty of chicken feathers, as well as other little marks here and there, so she was definitely there some- where,” she said. The amount of poten- tial hiding spots were too numerous, however, and the sisters gave up after three hours. Schoolcraft, for several weeks, was unable to spot lot and, having 23 other chickens at home, signed it off as a lost cause. Though Schoolcraft and the owner had made plans to reunite the hen with its original home, the owners has a last-minute change of heart and told School- craft she seemed the right person to take in the hen after all. Schoolcraft found it a hard offer to resist. “I mean, she’s so sweet. She just kind of stole my heart,” she said. “So I was more than happy to ac- cept bringing her into our flock.” In naming the hen, “Destiny” has been float- ed in reference to the chicken and Schoolcraft’s fortuitous match, but Schoolcraft is starting to lean toward “Boxxy” due to the boxwood bushes she was found in — as COURTESY PHOTO well as the black hen’s The hen rests comfortably in Kristi Schoolcraft’s arms after being rescued from chromatic resemblance to the Safeway parking lot. a goth podcaster she likes. Getting the hen to a new home was team ef- unsuccessful couple found some dam- the hen despite making another fort, Schoolcraft pointed frequent trips to the park- day when a little chicken age to the bottom of the out. head popped out from the hen’s feet, likely due to the ing lot with feed. “I definitely would like sizzling asphalt during the “I just started going out, bushes. to thank the community “As I was getting back hot summer days. every time going to Grove. Schoolcraft was also for everything that they And very shortly after in my truck, I heard some that, it became every day rustling and I turned able to contact the owners did for her while she was for like two weeks, in the around and there she and learned the chicken’s out there,” she said. “So a backstory. Apparently, big thank you so to them evening or in the after- was,” said Schoolcraft. Surprisingly, catching it had somehow stowed and to Safeway and to the noon and leaving feed for her because it was obvi- the bird took only 10 min- away on the undercar- attendants. Everybody re- riage of its owner’s truck ally played a big part in it.” ous she was there. She was utes. Schoolcraft said she will “It was almost like she and took a four-mile ride getting seen,” said School- use Facebook to update craft. “And I thought, just let me grab her,” said into town to the Safeway. people on the hen’s prog- When the owner came well, at least this way she’s Schoolcraft. “She had no ress and how her acclima- getting food. And at some problem with it. She was back and started up the tion to 12 new feathered point, maybe she’ll trust just like, ‘Okay, I guess vehicle, the chicken bailed friends is going. someone enough to catch this is happening now.’ from the undercarriage, “And we also have a very I think I think she was not interested in taking her.” robust, Rhode Island Red another ride. One fortuitous day, ready.” Rooster who is very inter- The owner found it too The hen may well have though, Schoolcraft and ested in her,” she said. “He her husband were get- been exhausted from the daunting to capture the wants to be her BFF.” ting ready to leave after month-long ordeal. The hen in a large parking # 1 Walk-In Tub •Guaranteed not to clog for as long as you own your home, or we will clean your gutters for free NEW Shower Package! ·---------- 1 I I I I I 1 � � ·--------- :•RECEIVE A $25 1 1 1 AMAZON INSTALLATION GIFT CARD WITH FREE IN-HOME 1 : ESTIMATE!** I II 541-213-2311 there i sn’’t a better, more afff ordable walk-iin tub!! 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