I was just about to go and lay my egg when I heard, "Ring-ri-ing." The poultry telephone! When I answered it, a soft voice said, "Hello, this is Symphony of the Adoremus flock. Is this Gertrude McCluck?"

"Yes" I replied.

"Good, I'm hiring you for an investigation."

"I'll be there this evening."

"Ok, that's agreeable."

After I got directions to the farm I hurried to lay my egg, go to the farm, and meet the flock before nightfall. When I got there I met Symphony first, a Dominique with a single comb in the shape of a harp.

"Hi," she said, "welcome to Villa Adoremus. Let me introduce you to the flock and then I will show you where you can sleep." There were 106 chickens, all free ranged: 5 Australorps, 25 Redstars, 57 Dominiques, 4 production reds, 5 silver laced Wyandottes, and 10 mixed. Someone is stealing our food and we don't know who. I'd like you to start tomorrow before breakfast," she said as she showed me the roosting coop.

I woke up to the crows of Amigo, the rooster, and I immediately got up to attend to the investigation. I opened the shed door and pulled out my trusty spyglass. Looking around I saw feathers in the chicken feed can. They where red and white, that indicates that it's either a Redstar, Amigo, or Goldyhen.

I doubt it's Goldyhen because she's too old. So I went and asked Amigo, who is a mix of breeds, "How often do you go in the shed?"

"Not often, only when my owners allow me to," he responded calmly.

"Ok".

Interviewing all the Redstars, I finished with Sunshine. "Sunshine..." I was interrupted when she said. "No it's not Sunshine its Shunshine."

"Ok, do you know who's been stealing food, Shunshine?" I asked.

"Huh? It's not Shunshine its Sunshine," she said cutely. "And I have no idea what theft you're talking about!" She added nastily.

What a strange bird, she must be the thief!

No one confessed, so I had to set a trap. Since Symphony is the only one who knows how to get in the garage, I asked her to get some grease from the bicycles that her owners kept in there. Once I had the grease I spread it on the floor around the can in the shed to catch the thief.

After breakfast I checked the shed for footprints, "Good footprints." Using my spyglass to look at the tracks and see what chicken they matched, I found out it wasn't a chicken at all! Rabbit tracks!

The two farm rabbits, Foggy and Cottontail, were getting out and stealing the feed. They even planted the chicken feathers! I told the chickens what to do. "Constantly make sure the rabbits cages are secure and stay secure."

I got 2 boxes of crickets as my payment. When I got home I told everyone the story and how I thought it was Sunshine. I guess I'm not always right!