The Last Straw

It happened again: the dog came back. This was surely the worst damage of all. Not only did the dog get the ducks, but also the chickens. As you may know we let our chickens out in the summertime. We were just starting to think that the dog wouldn't be back, so we let out the chickens and the ducks. We were gone all day, helping at our church's summer music week. When we got home it looked as though there'd been a pillow fight... a feather pillow fight. We found two dead chickens around the coop, and one close too death. Several chickens and a baby Silkie were cowering in the corn field, our gorgeous white Cochin was lying down terrified in the field with her feathers spread around her, our white Silkie hen and splash Cochin looked bad. And, of course, two ducks were chewed bad. The splash Cochin died in my arms, as did an Ameraucana. A few days ago a missing chicken turned up, but it was dead, too.

I saw my Old English Game bantam rooster's tail feathers all over the yard, and knew he was gone. But there he was on the porch, with four tailfeathers in all! Poor thing. But he's safe. I think that he tried to defend himself and all of his girls, unlike our huge rooster!! with tail feathers

There was still one missing: Butterscotch the mama hen, the mother of four Silkies and a mutt. We were sad that she was gone, but I still kept up hope. And sure enough there she was that night when we went to put them up! Totally fine.

All in all the damage is: 2 dead Ameraucana pullets, 1 dead cockeral, 1 dead Cochin, 1 dead buff Orpington, two chewed ducks, 1 chewed Sex Link, 1 tailless OEGB rooster, and two stressed chickens. We're not sure what happened to it, but the dog's not around our neighborhood anymore.

~chickengirl~