Eggscaping
Enjoying Life!
After reading all the reports of predators grabbing chickens, I'm now so paranoid of letting them outside of a Fort Knox-built coop and run that I don't see how I'll ever be able to do it without a full machine-gun turret and bevy of livestock-guarding dogs! Honestly, how bad IS letting them out to free-range when you're out working in the yard?
(warning, fictional account contains violence)
It was morning. Along with the golden rays of the sun came the friendly two-leg who opened the coop...and then the run. "Come on out, girls," the two-leg said cheerfully, and although the flock didn't necessarily understand the meaning of the sounds, they knew that it meant they could venture outside the Safe Place for the excitement and many treats offered by the Yard. They ran out the gate, clucking in pleasure and anticipation. The two-legs was carrying the pointed sticks she used to Dig In The Dirt which meant the probability of Worms or Bugs!!
The flock spread out happily, singing the Song of Scratching For Delicacies. (Play peaceful, pastoral music).
OUT of the SKY came a figure of terror! The Hawk! With hardly any warning it dropped out of the sky, grabbing poor Mildred in its talons and carrying her off, shrieking, into the air! The rest of the flock scattered in blind panic, running for the shelter of a bush. But as they fled, the Fox leapt out from under the elderberry bush and pinned Gertrude to the ground! The two-leg came running, brandishing her pointed stick and yelling, but the fox was too quick and it - and Gertrude - vanished into the woods!
Again, the flock ran, off toward the Big Coop, seeking shelter. But, oh NO! A bobcat jumped down from the roof and grabbed Penelope in its mouth and bounded off! Before any of the flock could decide where to run next, the sneaky little weasel had emerged from its burrow near the hedgerow and snatched up Fanny, who perished in a flurry of feathers and squawks! The two-leg shouted again and ran to the Big Coop, coming out with the Bang Stick and Dog, but before she could do much more than stare dismally at the various piles of blood and feathers, the Mountain Lion jumped over the fence and nabbed the Dog in mid-bark, hauling it off in the direction the Fox had gone. The two-leg screamed in rage and started running after the Mountain Lion, but as she neared the fence a Huge Bear bore down from the woods and grabbed the two-leg and bore her off into the forest!
Quiet returned to the Big Yard. The four remaining chickens of the flock looked at each other. "So," clucked Ethel. "That's probably all of them for today. Let's go get those worms."
(warning, fictional account contains violence)
It was morning. Along with the golden rays of the sun came the friendly two-leg who opened the coop...and then the run. "Come on out, girls," the two-leg said cheerfully, and although the flock didn't necessarily understand the meaning of the sounds, they knew that it meant they could venture outside the Safe Place for the excitement and many treats offered by the Yard. They ran out the gate, clucking in pleasure and anticipation. The two-legs was carrying the pointed sticks she used to Dig In The Dirt which meant the probability of Worms or Bugs!!
The flock spread out happily, singing the Song of Scratching For Delicacies. (Play peaceful, pastoral music).
OUT of the SKY came a figure of terror! The Hawk! With hardly any warning it dropped out of the sky, grabbing poor Mildred in its talons and carrying her off, shrieking, into the air! The rest of the flock scattered in blind panic, running for the shelter of a bush. But as they fled, the Fox leapt out from under the elderberry bush and pinned Gertrude to the ground! The two-leg came running, brandishing her pointed stick and yelling, but the fox was too quick and it - and Gertrude - vanished into the woods!
Again, the flock ran, off toward the Big Coop, seeking shelter. But, oh NO! A bobcat jumped down from the roof and grabbed Penelope in its mouth and bounded off! Before any of the flock could decide where to run next, the sneaky little weasel had emerged from its burrow near the hedgerow and snatched up Fanny, who perished in a flurry of feathers and squawks! The two-leg shouted again and ran to the Big Coop, coming out with the Bang Stick and Dog, but before she could do much more than stare dismally at the various piles of blood and feathers, the Mountain Lion jumped over the fence and nabbed the Dog in mid-bark, hauling it off in the direction the Fox had gone. The two-leg screamed in rage and started running after the Mountain Lion, but as she neared the fence a Huge Bear bore down from the woods and grabbed the two-leg and bore her off into the forest!
Quiet returned to the Big Yard. The four remaining chickens of the flock looked at each other. "So," clucked Ethel. "That's probably all of them for today. Let's go get those worms."
how well written your story is. Having watched Watership Down as a child pretty much left me with the impression EVERYTHING is out to kill ANYTHING I thought to be cute.
