Yesterday Feb 15, it seemed like a special day. It was a bright and sunny outside, around 75 degrees, the first warm day in quite awhile. I went out at 6am to feed and water the chickens and hopefully find an egg. However, I found nothing yet again, this would be the second week with no eggs. I was pretty bummed to tell you the truth. I went to check the Cornish X's who always ate with haste and recklessness. The previous days I had been watching a sick chick, I hadn't quarantined it yet because it seemed to be doing better. But when I looked to the feed it wasn't eating, I found it in the corner of the run bleeding and the other chickens kept pecking at its wound. I had read in "Raising Chickens for Dummies" that this could happen, but I wasn't prepared for it at that moment. I picked it up to inspect it and the prognosis was not good. I will not go in to detail but it was apparent that the chick would not make it. This was my first time that I had to cull a chick and it was a very sombering experience. I uttered a small prayer and went about my terrible duty with speed and precision. I didn't want the small chick to suffer anymore than it already had. The rest of the day I was pretty bummed and I caught myself reflecting on death quite a bit.
Today Feb 16. Today I was a bit more apprehensive about going to check the chickens, thinking I might find another in pain and have to perform the same grissly duty again. I went to get the feed and fresh water, the routine I was slowly getting better at for the past two weeks. I walked over to the run, in the small distance between the run and the feed my mind was racing with horrible possibilities. When I noticed everyone was okay, I let out a sigh of relief. I went to the back and opened up the coop and sifted through the hay and was surprised by the golf ball I had laid there, like every morning. I opened up the last nesting box and SURPRISE! A new and wonderful life. I picked up the small egg and reflected on the previous days events. All my anxiety and grief was washed away in that instant. So today I reflect, not on death but on life. Everything has an end and a beginning, the end might be sad but after the end comes a new beginning.
Today Feb 16. Today I was a bit more apprehensive about going to check the chickens, thinking I might find another in pain and have to perform the same grissly duty again. I went to get the feed and fresh water, the routine I was slowly getting better at for the past two weeks. I walked over to the run, in the small distance between the run and the feed my mind was racing with horrible possibilities. When I noticed everyone was okay, I let out a sigh of relief. I went to the back and opened up the coop and sifted through the hay and was surprised by the golf ball I had laid there, like every morning. I opened up the last nesting box and SURPRISE! A new and wonderful life. I picked up the small egg and reflected on the previous days events. All my anxiety and grief was washed away in that instant. So today I reflect, not on death but on life. Everything has an end and a beginning, the end might be sad but after the end comes a new beginning.
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