Dear Friends,
It has been very comforting and uplifting to us to receive your comments and support. We appreciate your many offers of help and generosity. It is wonderful to know how many caring people there are out there, even though we've only met a few of you in person.
Sometimes people ask "why did this happen?", and my response is that this is how other people learn to rally around to comfort and support them. If there were no "bad" things happening, we would all get complacent and self-centered. So in the giant scheme of things, difficult times make us learn to rely on others, and give others a chance to respond with needed support. We thank you for this.
We found another bird last night when we were cleaning behind the pens, so the total dead is still climbing. Our cochin breeders were not harmed, including the mille fleurs and the white cochins and rocks. We lost about half of our Wheaten Ameraucanas, and are down to 2 pullets and 3 hens, but still have lots of boys. Bobby, who won the AOCL at Alma show was unharmed.
The worst hit were the BLRW. A few weeks ago, a weasel took all the young ones I had been growing out, which left us with the 3 original pairs. We lost two of the hens, and the remaining four birds are in various stages of "chewed on". Granddaddy Walter was the most injured, but he is sitting on his roost preening his remaining feathers. (Walter, like most Granddaddies, does not look good naked). A little mille fleur cochin cockerel is also not doing very well, nor is Frizzabella, the little "lemon blue" frizzle broody hen. We are going to give them time and individual attention to try and bring them around.
I think that Audbun is right, there is another personality waiting in the wings to take center stage. I am not sure which one it is yet, but will probably start a new thread when he/she emerges. It will probably be something other than the Diva personality of Barbara, as I don't think any chicken could have topped her in that department. We shall wait and see. . .
In contention for Silly Chicken are Bobby the Ameraucana rooster and one of his girls, as yet to be named. When Mrs. Chickendad went out to perform ministrations on the BLRWs in the other part of the coop, Bobby and his girlfriend were tightrope walkingliterally. They were swinging on the slack rope that pulls up the pop door. Considering it is just a piece of clothesline and Bobby is a VERY big boy, that was quite a feat. Chickendad was called over to observe the two circus performers, and got a good laugh. That's why the Chickendads love chickensthey are just so "chickeny"!
Kathy
Mrs. Chickendad