oh GOD no.... no. no.no.no.......
I got home this afternoon from a road trip with DH at about 3:30 pm. and went to let the girls free roam for an hour or two before dark. They are in their pen from the am until i get home. When I opened that gate to let them out and did my normal head count as they passed by me, I came up two short.not a big deal, the two not passing my feet have gotten out before on their own. 'flew the coop' so to speak. Frack and Angel were not here. I saw Angel under a pine tree poking around and let out a sigh of relief, then i looked down and saw feathers at my feet. Fracks feathers. I have had a hawk hanging out lately and I paniced. I started lookeing around for her and calling her. I found more feathers 30 feet away. but, this time i found prints. paw prints. I grabbed my shot gun from the house and started off to follow them. NO Frack. oh please, not my Frack. My favorite hen, my trained hen, my little girl. my blue eyed rsl. not Frack. maybe she was able to get away, maybe she is hiding scared to death with a few less feathers. I didnt see any blood, but i followed the dog/coyote tracks anyway. My heart sunk. i found more feathers. please please please no, let her be ok. Tears starting to well up, my stomache starting to hurt. I still followed. I had to know for sure, i needed a body, otherwise i would wonder if she was out in the cold snow suffering. I knew what happened, I knew the darn neighbors dogs down the roads are to blame. I just know it. 1/2 mile down the woods and roads, more feathers, more prints. By this time I am crying, sobing actually. you see, I lost my cat of 11 years in October, my best friend cat of 19 years a week before Christmas, my best roo had to be put down on CHristmas eve. Not my Frack. please please........
another 600 feet away following the tracks I found what was left of my Frack. with the dog prints. I followed the prints with Frack in my arms right up to the guys house door. I banged on it, I cried, I banged and banged and banged.......
The two dogs came out the pop door in the garage at me. There was a feather in the dogs fur. GOD help me, there was a feather in his fur. He growled at me and hunkered down to the ground. I called the cops, I had to, I was so close to kicking the dog in the head, but I held it together holding Fracks dead carcas in my arms, tears running down my face and no one opening the door. Clean clear cut case, their two unkept dogs killed my Frack. the Dog Warden was called. Back at my house, the cop and my DH talked waiting for me to walk back to my house. The cop didnt want to get dead chicken smell in his car, so i had to walk back to my house to take the report. As I walked across the snow covered yard twords them, they both looked at me like I was crazy. Fracks limp featherless body still in my arms. My heart breaking, tears still coming down my cheeks. I want the dog. I WANT THE DOG. the dog warden was not coming. its after business hours. He will call me tomorrow to take a report. The cop told me he will give his report to the dog warden, and would be in touch. As we were talking 'Bird and his Fluffy Butts' wandered up to me. Bird looked up at me and turned his head sideways watching me. I swear he knew something was wrong. He looked at Fracks body in my arms. Bird crowed. He crowed the loudest longest crow of his short life. The cop had to chuckle. He tried not to, really did, but he couldnt stop it. He looked at me and put his hand on my shoulder. He told me he had chickens too. I took photos of the dog prints, the feathers, and of Fracks body for the dog warden who is supposed to call me tomorrow. I am so scared the dogs will be back. They always come back
I buried Fracks little body not alone tonight. The other 'gang'members SUperbird, Frick (Fracks sister), Angel, Red, Daytona, Mary, Elly, May, and Sandy all helped me. As I dug a hole, they seemed to understand what was going on. They picked in the dirt that I dug up, ate the worms, and stood by as I put Fracks body wrapped in a towel down. they all stood by. I mean really stood there watching me. When I was done, they all came to the fresh dug ground and scratched it. did what they know how to do best.
We all went back inside the coop and sat down together. I cried. they clucked at me, picked at my bluejeans, Bird jumped onmy shoulder and picked at my hair, Red sat on my foot, Angle did her usual and slept on her perch. We all were a little bit sad tonight. We all were a little bit empty.
we both lost a team mate today.
I will get the dog. I will.
I got home this afternoon from a road trip with DH at about 3:30 pm. and went to let the girls free roam for an hour or two before dark. They are in their pen from the am until i get home. When I opened that gate to let them out and did my normal head count as they passed by me, I came up two short.not a big deal, the two not passing my feet have gotten out before on their own. 'flew the coop' so to speak. Frack and Angel were not here. I saw Angel under a pine tree poking around and let out a sigh of relief, then i looked down and saw feathers at my feet. Fracks feathers. I have had a hawk hanging out lately and I paniced. I started lookeing around for her and calling her. I found more feathers 30 feet away. but, this time i found prints. paw prints. I grabbed my shot gun from the house and started off to follow them. NO Frack. oh please, not my Frack. My favorite hen, my trained hen, my little girl. my blue eyed rsl. not Frack. maybe she was able to get away, maybe she is hiding scared to death with a few less feathers. I didnt see any blood, but i followed the dog/coyote tracks anyway. My heart sunk. i found more feathers. please please please no, let her be ok. Tears starting to well up, my stomache starting to hurt. I still followed. I had to know for sure, i needed a body, otherwise i would wonder if she was out in the cold snow suffering. I knew what happened, I knew the darn neighbors dogs down the roads are to blame. I just know it. 1/2 mile down the woods and roads, more feathers, more prints. By this time I am crying, sobing actually. you see, I lost my cat of 11 years in October, my best friend cat of 19 years a week before Christmas, my best roo had to be put down on CHristmas eve. Not my Frack. please please........
another 600 feet away following the tracks I found what was left of my Frack. with the dog prints. I followed the prints with Frack in my arms right up to the guys house door. I banged on it, I cried, I banged and banged and banged.......
The two dogs came out the pop door in the garage at me. There was a feather in the dogs fur. GOD help me, there was a feather in his fur. He growled at me and hunkered down to the ground. I called the cops, I had to, I was so close to kicking the dog in the head, but I held it together holding Fracks dead carcas in my arms, tears running down my face and no one opening the door. Clean clear cut case, their two unkept dogs killed my Frack. the Dog Warden was called. Back at my house, the cop and my DH talked waiting for me to walk back to my house. The cop didnt want to get dead chicken smell in his car, so i had to walk back to my house to take the report. As I walked across the snow covered yard twords them, they both looked at me like I was crazy. Fracks limp featherless body still in my arms. My heart breaking, tears still coming down my cheeks. I want the dog. I WANT THE DOG. the dog warden was not coming. its after business hours. He will call me tomorrow to take a report. The cop told me he will give his report to the dog warden, and would be in touch. As we were talking 'Bird and his Fluffy Butts' wandered up to me. Bird looked up at me and turned his head sideways watching me. I swear he knew something was wrong. He looked at Fracks body in my arms. Bird crowed. He crowed the loudest longest crow of his short life. The cop had to chuckle. He tried not to, really did, but he couldnt stop it. He looked at me and put his hand on my shoulder. He told me he had chickens too. I took photos of the dog prints, the feathers, and of Fracks body for the dog warden who is supposed to call me tomorrow. I am so scared the dogs will be back. They always come back
I buried Fracks little body not alone tonight. The other 'gang'members SUperbird, Frick (Fracks sister), Angel, Red, Daytona, Mary, Elly, May, and Sandy all helped me. As I dug a hole, they seemed to understand what was going on. They picked in the dirt that I dug up, ate the worms, and stood by as I put Fracks body wrapped in a towel down. they all stood by. I mean really stood there watching me. When I was done, they all came to the fresh dug ground and scratched it. did what they know how to do best.
We all went back inside the coop and sat down together. I cried. they clucked at me, picked at my bluejeans, Bird jumped onmy shoulder and picked at my hair, Red sat on my foot, Angle did her usual and slept on her perch. We all were a little bit sad tonight. We all were a little bit empty.
we both lost a team mate today.
I will get the dog. I will.
