May 27, 2009

One year we got 50 turkey chicks, lost most of them, got 50 more. The constant beeping of chicks without a mother can certainly play on anyone's nerves. One beautiful sunny morning I thought to myself how blissfully quiet it was for a change. Oh no!!! I ran out to the greenhouse, but it was too late. My beautiful dog, who never ever killed a chicken in her life lay cowering in wait for my eminent arrival. All over the yard was 50 chicks with their heads pulled off, a bloody sad mess. She looked at me with doe eyes pleading for my mercy - I could just hear her say "I just could not stand the noise one moment longer, do what you want to me at least it will be quiet". In her defense, she had just had a litter of puppies. We ordered a new batch of chicks and she dutifully protected them like she had always done in the past, with this brief exception of course.
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7 comments:

  1. John Going GentlyMay 27, 2009 at 2:13 PM

    thank god, my small holding is VERY VERY small....I couldn't quite cope if I lost 50 chicks all at once!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    The dog attack I had last year was bad enough and I only lost 5 hens!!!!
    thanks for reading

    xx

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  2. SueMay 28, 2009 at 2:50 AM

    Wow, that must have been awful!
    I had a dozen hens one year.....one by one they disappeared. We never found out what got them.

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  3. Ruth TrowbridgeMay 28, 2009 at 9:48 AM

    Thanks Sue - it was so stressful that year. We had raccoons, weasels and ravens all zeroing in on them. In the woods these things will never change, but over the years we "plugged all the holes" so now we hardly have a loss. It sure does make me feel for the poor pioneers who would have gone hungry from the losses. Hens missing one by one sounds like the work of a predator bird, most other enemies leave a blood trail. Thanks for the visit Sue. Peace for all

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  4. ChristyACBMay 28, 2009 at 10:24 AM

    Oh how awful to have to find that and then, worse yet, clean it up!

    But seriously, she may have just reached her whining limit. I can't imagine the noise that must have been for her with all her horomones going on top of it.

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  5. Ruth TrowbridgeMay 28, 2009 at 3:58 PM

    It is such a mournful sound, the beeping pleas of each chick without a mother. It also never stops. All creatures should be allowed to be be brought up with the love of a mother. That is natural. Thanks for the visit, hope you are feeling better. Peace for all

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  6. PamelaMay 29, 2009 at 4:01 PM

    OMGOODNESS.........what a story!

    And your poor dog.....I can just see the whole thing in my minds eye. Oh goodness what a horrifying sight.

    Part of me laughed though at how you told the dog thoughts!

    hugs
    Pam

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  7. Ruth TrowbridgeMay 31, 2009 at 12:08 AM

    Dogs taught me how to love and I hold them in high esteem. I felt more sorry for her than anything, since I was the one who exposed her to the constant noise without taking her feelings into account. thanks for the visit, peace for all

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