The worst day

[gimmie birdies]

Animals are one thing, and I really feel for roosters, but I just turned 50 and lost my dad, but I tell you I am entering a new chapter, my kids are out of the house, my dad is gone,(I always felt like i was his parent, since he had Aspergers, and recently alzheimer's) and I feel free for the first time. So being fifty is a great thing for me. I hope you all get to a point where you enjoy your 50's.

 

[micstrachan]

I am so deeply sorry for your loss. Very scary that you thought it was secure and you found out it wasn’t through this tragedy. I’ll be looking mine over tonorrow. So sorry.

 

[MrsMistyReal]

My deepest sympathies, prayers. Our dog constantly catches those filthy things (possum).I wish you a happy birthday, hopefully some sunshine will pour through

 

[turtlelaura67]

I went out early this morning to check things out, and I think I know how that possum got in. Just like how burglars get into your house - through the front door.

The run is chainlink, as is the gate. The gate doesn't go all the way up to the top, so the opening had hardware cloth over it. It used to be tight. I have now realized that over time, with constantly opening and closing the gate, it isn't as tight as it used to be. And I never noticed. It would be tricky but not at all impossible for even a large possum to find his way in there, with determination. You know, for two people who are fairly good at improvising, why didn't we find another way to make that gate safer? It took me two seconds to realize that I should have just extended that gate - both in and out - with something stiff (like a wire cookie drying rack, I have plenty of those). And I should have noticed that the gate wasn't as hard to close as it was previously.

The top of the run is covered with hardware cloth and chicken wire and it's all criss-crossed in layers and zip-tied. We used to joke that it was like Alcatraz. It looks like a prison. So I don't think the top was the problem.

 

[turtlelaura67]

Gimme - so sorry about your dad. My grandmother died of Alzheimer's and it was incredibly difficult for my father at the end. But we all felt relief. She didn't even recognize anyone any more. And she was always sharp as a tack, and she must have known she was in decline. I am trying to be positive, but I feel like I'm now officially old!

 

[gimmie birdies]

I was out of town in Las Vegas when my dad died. We were due to come back home 1 day later, which we did, we got home 2 days before the terrible Vegas thing happened in Oct.

My dad must have been ready, and knew he was going to die though, he was in his nursing home, and got all dressed up and told the ladies he was ready to go, not long before he died. What was interesting was he had been in a wheelchair for months and they said he was walking around the home, no wheel chair or walker when he was ready to go.

 

[MrsMistyReal]

Gimmie my deepest condolences/turtle is everything fixed up? Good morning everyone

 

[gimmie birdies]

Thank you.

 

[chickencheeper]

 

[gimmie birdies]

I just went out to the coop, to let my birds out, and I saw my cute little lemon barred hen Phoebe's feathers about, it didn't look good, then I found her body, head missing. Raccoon? I didn't know she was still out when door was closed last night.