I have to say – this past week – I have NOT enjoyed my life on the farm.
I have not questioned my lifestyle as much as I have this past week.
Death has visited us – with a vengeance.
My pretty little baby runner ducks were cruelly taken from this earth by a weasel or mink in the dead of the night leaving a mess of carnage for me to discover the next morning. This all after we made them their outdoor pen with pool. We locked them safely inside or so we thought.
That was the first time this week I questioned my life style.
Number two was yesterday.
My son feeds our menagerie every afternoon between 130 and 2pm and every day he sends me a message – 4 horses – 7 chickens – 3 ducks.
Knowing full well that 3 ducks were gone – I asked him to check early and again that afternoon at the regular time.
4 Horses – 7 chickens.
My son got called into work – and I arrive home at my usual time of 530 pm – only 2 chickens – hmmmm – the others must be resting somewhere. I went to pick up my son at work and called Hubs to let him know my fears.
Sure enough – some rat bastard of a fox came and scooped up 5 count ’em – 5 of my flightless children.
Gone is my Bard and Scraggles – gone are the Andrew’s Sisters – all that remains is my Clyde – our glorious rooster and my Fave chicken. They look depressed.
Death has visited our farm – death so cruel that it would take my chickens and ducks.
I have heard this week – Ahhh – they are just chickens and ducks – just get more.
What people – some people – fail to understand that to me – they were more than just chickens and ducks.
It sounds silly but they were my pets and my friends and they trusted me to take care of them and in some odd way – I let them down.
So now – I have a depressed Rooster and a depressed Hen who I currently have sequestered in Fort Orange for fear of losing them too.
It’s like a Super Max prison – they are in a cage all day and can come out in the “yard” that is 8 feet high while I sit there and watch them for one hour a day until I can get Super Max Orange completed.
Yes – their brain function is less than that of a snow pea – but no more chickens will die on my watch!!!
I guess that I was not prepared for the “death” part of farm life.
It’s been all rainbows and kittens with prancing ponies and my flock of birds and sunshine.
Death has visited our farm. I don’t like it. I don’t like it one bit.
Death will visit again from time to time but Death is NOT welcome.
Until I can insure that Death will have a really hard time visiting – I will stay away from having birds for a bit. I simply get too attached.
Death – watch out because I am gonna kick your ass next time you dare visit Orange Acres!!!
Orange Acres 