Last night about 11pm I heard a bunch of clucking...I figured the chickens had been "spooked" by something...
I didn't think much of it... and went back to bed.
When I woke up this morning they were still clucking like crazy...which is unusual... because they are normally very quite birds... unless you are bringing them a treat... then they freak out..
When Monkey boy and I went out to investigate...
we noticed that the side had been ripped open and there were wet matted feathers everywhere... but no chicken #4...
Had I of put the metal pin back in the side of the Eglu when I moved it last weekend... this could not of happened...
Had I of put the metal pin back in the side of the Eglu when I moved it last weekend... this could not of happened...
Where is my chicken?...There was only one thing I could do...
And that was to follow the trail of feathers...
This is my first tragedy here on the suburban homestead...up until this point all I found was cute little 2" to 3" feathers...
But when I started to see the big 6" to 8" long feathers I knew that this was not going to have a happy ending...
Poor Rita... she was a good chicken...she was my first choice for a chicken pot pie...
she was such a nice and plump bird...
Sadly... whatever ate Rita...pulled her underneath the fence...and with this many feathers gone...
and no clucking sounds coming from beyond the cedar boards...
I think it's safe to say she is gone...
Poor ... Poor... Rita... May you rest in peace...
*****
And many thanks to Mrs. Hillbilly for her condolences...
she's so practical and to the point...
she suggested that if I find Rita's chicken feet that I re-use them as back scratchers...
Have you ever read my mother's children's book? Birthday Chickens. In it, the boys chickens get attacked at night (true story, of course) and one goes missing. The boy cries.
ReplyDeleteOh, dear me. I am so very sorry. It's tough losing animals even if they are seen more as a means to food versus as a pet. Just think...she's in chicken heaven with endless table scraps...:-).
ReplyDeleteMamaJJ, No, I have not read your mother's book Birthday Chickens...After the boy cries does the chicken come back? Did he find his Birthday bird? Did the bird come back to haunt him? Did he find the creepy chicken leg with unusually long toenails and re-gift it as a back scratcher for Christmas?
ReplyDeleteThyHand... I fell bad that I don't go out in the rain and check on the clucking bird last night... Hopefully she's eating some nice juicy strawberries up there... that was her favorite treat.
That is really too bad...stupid predators. Unfortunately if it was a raccoon he will be back, they can be relentless. Considering that none of the other birds were harmed though it is quite possible that a cat got poor Rita. So sorry.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear this news...
ReplyDeleteHuman Rita is very upset about Chicken Rita. I'm sure she is in chicken heaven eating strawberries!
ReplyDeleteMr. H... I looked for claw marks thinking it might have been a raccoon but didn't see any on the Eglu....hopefully it wasn't a raccoon...they freak me out. I'd be afraid to hit that thing with a shovel.
ReplyDeleteCamille... poor poor Rita :(
Meester: Tell Big Rita that if I get another chicken she can name her... but better not name her Rita 2... as that might be a sign of things to come.