Flock Loss
Oct. 12th, 2009 12:12 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
summer_jackelSo, something---probably a raccoon---got into my coop last night and killed everyone but Arcata, the lovely little phoenix hen Allison gave me a couple months ago. I went out this morning, and there were just a couple of bodies, mostly eaten, and a lot of feathers.
This is an inevitable part of having poultry, and it will almost certainly happen eventually to everyone who does. It still sucks, and I'm very sad about it. I've gone back and forth over the years about how to deal with this emotionally, and it's hard not to question whether letting myself get attached to the damned chickens is really a good idea. Being emotionally distant from them is worse, though. So, I will continue to tame and name the poultry and just accept that from time to time, the wild requires a sacrifice. Still, it's been a really long time since wildlife took everything.
My mystery squawking the other night was probably the coon coming in and being chased off by the dogs, who were all sleeping in my bedroom last night, with the door closed. So, tonight I will lock Arcata in the small coop and leave the door to the chickenyard open, and Jez loose. That should either chase them off or deliver me grilled raccoon steak for the following night, and the next day I think I can borrow a cat trap. If I catch any coons, I will drop them off in remote woods many miles away from me.
Meanwhile, life goes on. I just picked up some adorable week-old chicks, and a young pullet to keep Arcata company so she isn't alone for a month. Still sucks. Marilyn, Wild Blue, Random, Oddment, Whatnot, Felix, Vivienne and Josephine, I am sorry. I'll miss you.
Sad.
This is an inevitable part of having poultry, and it will almost certainly happen eventually to everyone who does. It still sucks, and I'm very sad about it. I've gone back and forth over the years about how to deal with this emotionally, and it's hard not to question whether letting myself get attached to the damned chickens is really a good idea. Being emotionally distant from them is worse, though. So, I will continue to tame and name the poultry and just accept that from time to time, the wild requires a sacrifice. Still, it's been a really long time since wildlife took everything.
My mystery squawking the other night was probably the coon coming in and being chased off by the dogs, who were all sleeping in my bedroom last night, with the door closed. So, tonight I will lock Arcata in the small coop and leave the door to the chickenyard open, and Jez loose. That should either chase them off or deliver me grilled raccoon steak for the following night, and the next day I think I can borrow a cat trap. If I catch any coons, I will drop them off in remote woods many miles away from me.
Meanwhile, life goes on. I just picked up some adorable week-old chicks, and a young pullet to keep Arcata company so she isn't alone for a month. Still sucks. Marilyn, Wild Blue, Random, Oddment, Whatnot, Felix, Vivienne and Josephine, I am sorry. I'll miss you.
Sad.
