I think i've mentioned that i have had problems with raccoons and *gulp* a cougar in my yard. Most of my chickens have been killed. The raccoons going so far as chewing their way into the chicken house one night.
I have three chickens left who have gone completely wild. They won't go near the coop, instead roosring high up in the trees every night.
I've been holding my breath over the last few days because stanley, our old english bantam rooster, has been missing. He was one of the first chickens i had and the only one to really become a pet.
The kids carried him around, took him down the slide and fed him special treats. He would follow us around outside, alongside the dogs, a member of the family.
But, he's gone. And i'm sad about it. Silly being sad about a rooster. Probably it's the total loss of all my chickens that saddens me more.
I'm going to wait until the spring to get anymore.
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I’m sorry to hear about your rooster & chickens. It’s very sad.
I grew up in a small town and we used to have chickens in a large coop in our backyard. My mom came home from work one day seeing a chicken terrified running down the road. She came to our backyard full of slaughtered chickens, obviously done by a neighbour’s dog. What was the most disturbing was that the door to the coop was propped open by a stick, obviously put there by some person, probably the owner of the dog. The one chicken lived in our basement for the winter. We didn’t get any more chickens after that.
Sorry. What a terrible story and way to introduce myself to you & your blog.
I found your blog about a week ago and am really enjoying reading it. I just want to say thanks for writing so honestly about both the beauty and pain. Take care.
Poor Stanley. I don’t think being sad about a chicken is silly – it’s normal.
I’m so sorry for Stanley. How sad! He really is an adorable bird…when I really look at him!
The same thing happened to my moms’ chickens! Although the one chicken who figured out how to sleep in a tree ended up living about six months longer than all the others. My sister was about ten at the time and was completely heartbroken when the last one finally disappeared.
I think it’s perfectly normal to be sad.
As soon as I saw the title of your post I said, “Oh no” outloud. Poor Stanley. He was such a handsome fellow. I’m so sorry.
Oh, I’m sorry honey. :( Sometimes nature sucks ass.
One of my father’s bedtime stories was about a fax and the greedy ways of hen house raids. This reminds me of this – but it’s not much help to you, of course.
I’m sorry for your loss. Losing a pet is painful, it doesn’t matter what kind.
It’s not silly to be sad over a rooster. he was your pet, he went down the slide with your kids. that is so cute.
I hope you get more in the Spring.
Aww poor Stanley..stuff like that sucks.
Reading Ada’s comment about the fax (I’m stuck there trying to figure out how a fax can be greedy and what that has to do with…. oh, right). Ha!
Anyway, poor Stanley. Of course you should be sad!
oh he was so cute! so sorry about losing stanley, jess. i feel for you, i can get attached to about any animal… i love them all and always feel sorry for them!
It isn’t silly… it is true emotion.
I think I care more about animals than people, frankly.
I am so sorry for your loss.
aww shit. that sucks. i’d be upset. RIP, stanley.