We lost a chicken randomly last week. She never came home to the coop after they'd been free ranging all day. The weather has been cold and snowy, but the chickens still wanted to be out and about so we left their door open, so they were free to come and go as they pleased.
At the end of the day we had roll call and one was missing. We searched high and low, but no sign of her anywhere. This is a chance you take when you decide to allow your birds to free range. We checked for blood, feathers, anything that would give us a clue as to where she could be. Nothing turned up, so we accepted the loss and moved on.
Believe it or not we have had chickens who don't come home, but do find a warm, comfey hay pile and roost there for the night. They show up at their coop door bright and early for breakfast. This scenario didn't happen this time.
Yesterday, we went out to button things up for the evening. Our first stop was the pig pen. I peeked in to make sure she was happy and warm, plenty of food and water etc.
She was good, but I was not. I was staring at feathers everywhere and a pair of legs.
She had gotten a hold of one of the chickens and eaten it. I was disgusted. I wasn't mad at her or the chicken, but I was very disappointed with the loss of a life and a very good layer.
The chickens loooove to hang out with the pig. She always has food. They always have food too, but that doesn't matter. They are always looking for "greener grass".
(They eat the cat food any chance they get too.) If we give her scraps they come right over to take it away.
Unfortunately you cannot prevent everything. The chickens pushed their luck one too many times.
A farm-girl friend of mine is the one who told me, "If you've got livestock, you've got dead stock." That is life on the farm. There is more life than death, but death can unexpectedly happen. You have to do your best and not get too down on yourself when death does rear it's ugly head. Some situations are out of your control.
Oh, death on the farm can really bring you down. Last year was a rough one for us because of it. It is a sober reminder that we are living in a fallen world but one day... there will be no more death and sorrow!!! I can not wait! Until then, like you said, "we just do our best".
ReplyDeleteAmen!
DeleteI'm going out to have a heart-to-heart with my pig Doink. He should know that those chickens that ride on his back and steal his food are MY chickens! So sorry for your loss. :-( (Stopped by from the Farmgirl Friday Hop)
ReplyDeleteYes! Have a talk with him!:)
Deletemmm naughty piggy!
ReplyDeleteLove Leanne
Yes! Very naughty!:)
DeleteAgreed it's a part of life, but I'm still gonna offer hugs just cuz.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the hugs!
DeleteI used to hear it a little differently... "If you have livestock, you have trouble." Sorry about your chicken!
ReplyDeleteThat is true as well!!!:)
Deletesad but true. I'm sorry for the loss of your hen. Been there and it never gets any less upsetting.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing with the Clever Chicks Blog Hop this week. I think this is an important reminder.
Kathy Shea Mormino
The Chicken Chick
http://www.The-Chicken-Chick.com
Its true. If you have livestock, you face the unexpected every day. If you have ducks then you have cheap entertainment 24/7. LOL
ReplyDeleteCome visit my Vermont flock when you have a chance: www.tailgait.blogspot.com
So true, so true. I raised larger livestock for 25 years and I finally had to take a vacation from my heart being broken too many times. Vacation lasted almost 10 years but now I have a small flock of hens. I KNOW nature can be cruel, I KNOW death can happen at any time to any one or more of them...but the call to once again welcome animals into my life overcame all the pain from before. I'm banking all the happiness they give me against the certain pain to come and they are the very best teachers of living life in the here and now.
ReplyDeleteNot 15 minutes ago, my 9-year-old son came running into the house crying. He and his daddy were outside seeing to the chickens before dinner. One of the hens was dead and partially eaten. There was no sign of the culprit, but I'm afraid it may have been one of our cats. The chickens are only 10 weeks old, so still small enough for a brave, experienced yard cat to terrorize them. Their yard is partially covered, but it will be fully covered this weekend after this incident. We are learning lessons the hard way. I'm sorry for your loss.
ReplyDelete