Red Wethersfeld Onion Seedlings (started 1/31)
Today had a craptacular start with a 7:00 am trip to the coop to say good morning to the girls and give them their daily cracked corn treat. A quick head count (and Mike’s sharp eye) revealed that someone was missing. Mike found Abby cold and dead against the fence, covered with a just a bit of snow. It seems a hawk got her sometime yesterday afternoon (I failed to do a head count last night).
It’s hard to describe how it feels to lose a hen that wasn’t really a pet, but wasn’t really not either. It’s pretty much part of the cycle of life on a farm, and something that I grew up with and understand on a fundamental level. At the same time, we obviously feel her loss and wish it hadn’t happened.
Mike will be putting up some inexpensive bird netting tomorrow to try to keep the hawks from coming back again. Each life here is valuable and we’ll do what we can to protect each one from avoidable disaster. Hopefully the other girls will soon be safe and sound from air raids.
I’m sorry about Abby… she was a beautiful bird. I know it’s all part of the farm life, but I think you’d have to be pretty hard-hearted not to be sad at some level, if only because you’d lavished such thoughtful care on all your girls.
Glad you were able to find the netting without much trouble, though. Looking forward to meeting the other chooks very soon!
I’m sorry to hear about Abby…. as Anita said, she was a creature you cared for and that makes her special to you. Hope the netting works to keep the hawks away. Would they be able to knaw/eat through it, or is it of a special kind?
I had “pet” hens growing up. When my family had to move and the hens find a new home, I cried for days. It is funny how each living thing that crosses our life, brings meaning. I have been known to shed a tear over a house plant that met it’s end. Anyway, I am sorry for your loss.
I am sorry for your loss of Abby…I understand that it is something you plan for and expect but it is still something that you are allowed to be sad about.
Anita – you’re right. I hope my post didn’t come off as hard hearted, because I am definitely sad about it and wish that it hadn’t happened. All I was trying to say was that it’s not quite the same as losing one of the dogs or the cat at the same time that it’s not just part of the cycle of life. It’s somewhere in the middle.
Mangochild – thank you. With hawks you really just need a visual barrier to keep them from swooping in and attacking. We had to deal with them for the meat birds this summer and did so with some simple string. This time we’re using garden netting, same kind you’d use to protect a fruit tree as a more longterm solution.
Karen – Thank you for that. Very true, even when animals don’t stay for long, they always leave an imprint on your life.
That stinks about Abby. Your onions sproutlings look terrific, though. Thanks for the kick in the pants.
I learned a new word today: Craptacular. We will be studying digestion in a few weeks for medical terminnology — “pertaining to crap.” i won’t be able to get it out of my head fro the test. Ha
Sorry to hear about the chicken. It is hard to not get attached to something that you nurtured for so long.