Monday, Monday

Monday started as any morning...
to the sound of roosters singing to the sunrise in the Eastern sky of the barnyard.
I love that sound...
roosters, heralds of the morn.


Sadly, there will be one less rooster to greet the sunrise today.


Yes, when I opened the upper chicken houses yesterday morning,
I found Old Roy looking quite wilted again.
His left eye was looking much worse, and again he seemed to have something
neurologically wrong.


I hailed Dr. Becky.
Examining him, we soon realized that the reason his eye looked so strange was that he had
a rather large tumor growing around his orbit.
She also thought that perhaps the tumor had invaded his optic nerve,
and so was affecting his brain (hence the neurological symptoms).


I could not in all conscience allow this to continue.
In a weakened state, he would soon become the subject of abuse from the other
roos and hens.

So, we opted for an injection of Euthasol...which quickly and seemingly painlessly
put him to sleep...forever.


Good bye Ole Roy... we loved your song and will miss it.

To clear up a little confusion,
Ole Roy was an Auracana/Barred Rock cross.

We have yet another similar rooster  Roy Boy,
who is a Barred Rock Roo.


Roy Boy continues to be healthy and as you can see...
strutting his stuff!

So, tell me...
do you think me crazy?

Maybe just a little, huh! (Read on....)

Yesterday morning I rescued a mouse from certain death.
Leo had caught a mouse and was playing with it...
batting it around unmercifully.
He'd let it escape, and just when the mouse thought it was safe,
he'd pounce on it and send it rolling with his paw.


I just couldn't bear to watch this.
I know, I know.... this is why we have barn cats. 
But, do I have to witness this?
And, you have to admit... this little mouse is cuter than cute!!


So, I picked up this little fluff ball and safely stowed him
in the feed room (of course!) between a few piles of hay.
I am sure, with 5 barn cats, it is just a matter of time...
yesterday was just not the day!

PS... a chicken tote is on its way to Cris (Chicken Adventures)!!
Enjoy!

Comments

I'm so sorry to read about Ole Roy. He had a wonderful life on your farm. I hope the mouse gets away!
You are not crazy at all!
RIP Ole Roy. He lived a good life and that's the best we can give them.
Candice said…
RIP Ole Roy. (I, too, was confused by the two Roys.) You are so fortunate to have Dr. Becky so close to diagnose, render aid and final peace to your feathered and furry family members.
Lynne said…
All creatures great and small seems to be my thought for the moment . . . in fact, ringing in my ears . . .
jaz@octoberfarm said…
so sorry to hear about roy boy but you did the right thing. that mouse is very lucky and very cute. it sounds like the tote made it to the right place!
Junebug said…
I think that mouse was singing from the Mama's and Papa's - Monday, Monday, so good to me!!! Oh am I dating myself??

Good Bye Ole Roy! It's amazing how attach we get to our animals!!

Have a great day today, Hugs!!
Anonymous said…
Oh why do those darn rodents have to be so cute? So sorry about Old Roy.
This N That said…
Sorry about Ole Roy..I would have done the same thing with the mouse..Leo was just doing what cats do but, you're right. I wouldn't want to watch either..Lucky mousie..it just wasn't his day..You did good..Thanks for the laugh..
Unknown said…
So sorry about Roy. It's so hard to lose a chicken...I love them all as I know you do.

Cute mouse, and I know it's hard to see them killed. Not sure I would have put it in with the feed...heehehee.
Michele said…
That is rough about Old Roy, yet he was fortunate to have you looking out for him. hugs. And nope, not crazy. Any mouse my little guy gets is scooped up and taken to safety. He is not a barn cat though and think he just chases them because they scurry .. not really sure he understands they could be food.
Kris said…
I am sorry to hear about Old Roy.
Baby goats...oh boy!!!
Missed your last post too...cute kindle pouches!!
xo Kris
Country Gal said…
Sorry to hear about Old Roy but at least now he at piece and pain free ! And nope your not crazy for I have done this here to with mice and our little feathered friends ! Lovely photos ! I love hearing the rooters crow and the animals sounds from the farm down the road and the surrounding farms as it echoes through the woods and air. Have a good day !
Ellen in Oregon said…
Old Roy was fortunate to have you & Dr. Becky end his suffering.
The mouse is lucky that you are such a softie. Leo probably didn't appreciate his catch being taken away. I used to love the cat cartoonist Kliban and here is a poem that might capture Leo's thoughts on mice (if he wasn't a well fed farm cat).

"Love to eat them mousies.
Mousies what I love to eat.
Bite they little heads off.
Nibble on they tiny feet".
Mary said…
I'm so sorry for your loss of Ole Roy. But you did the right thing, i think. Our animals trust us to take care of them, and you did what you thought was best so he wouldn't suffer. And no, you're not crazy. You have a warm, loving heart!
Anonymous said…
No you are not crazy!
You are so BEAUTIFUL & kind,
We need millions more in the world like you.
I love your farm. What a special place.
Yes it is so awful to have to put feather & fur friends to sleep.

Love from Summer in Australia.
Meghan Grace said…
I'm so sorry to hear of Ole Roy's passing. As hard as it is to say goodbye,it is such a gift that we can give our furry and feathered friends when their pain becomes too great and their quality of life is too little to let them go peacefully.

I too saved a little grey mouse from my three little kittens. Poor little thing, he was so afraid. I scooped him up on my hand and he promptly bit me! Ouch! Oh well, I saved the little guy-much to the chagrin of my kittens! Yay! Score one for the mouse!