Happy Endings....We're Overdue!

Every May and June for several weeks it seems like the farm is under siege by foxes.
It is during this time of year that I always lose a few chickens.
This year is no exception, sadly.

Henri 


and rooster Number 6 have disappeared from the barn area.


Foxes are to blame....I am sure.
It is this time of year when the mother fox teaches her kits to hunt,
and they hunt purely for sport (education).

I am sure by now you are thinking that I have had a bad couple of weeks...
first losing Edith,


then Sam and Oakley's porcupine attack,
then the duck shooting incident,
now 2 roosters are MIA.

Yes, it's been a tough couple of weeks.
I was starting to feel like a dark cloud was following me.
 And, truly, I hate to share these things with you, but it is the reality of life on a farm.

What I couldn't bear to tell you, however, was that Leo, our adorable barn kitty,
also went missing.


For two days we called for him and searched for him....
to no avail.

Then yesterday morning I decided to do one last search.
I began in the hayloft.
Up the stairs I climbed calling "Here KeeCat, here KeeCat"
(my special call for Leo...and one that he always answers).
I was just about to descend the ladder, when I heard a slight muffled cry from behind the hay pile.


LEO!!
Oh, thank goodness, he was alive...
just stuck behind the bales of hay.
He must have fallen back there.
 I tore down the bales of hay, swooped him up in my arms,
 and carried him back downstairs for breakfast...
which he woofed down like he hadn't eaten in 2 days (which he hadn't).


Happily, I have no more sad tales to share with you...
rather... one with a happy ending!

On days when the harsher side of life on a farm gets to me,
the best cure is time spent with goaties.
We have only three of our six kids remaining,
and those three are getting so big now.


And just like their parents, they love Ritz crackers, too!


Snuggling a baby goat always makes my heart a little lighter.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Oh how sad and heart breaking it is not to know what happened to the chickens and your turkey. We have coyotes and dogs here and we had to build a fenced in area for our chickens and I put our muscovy duck in the shed at night because of that.
Maybe you need to fence in your chickens too. I feel much better knowing mine are safer now. Just a thought. And who would stop and shoot a duck for no reason? You can bet I'd be on the lookout for that person! We have a family of canadian geese and one of the babies is limping. One of my husband's friends came to visit and saw the neighbors dog trying to get the babies yesterday. He stopped and ran the dog off. If I had been home and seen that, the dog would be dead now. I have had trouble with this dog before going to the mailbox, a big german shepherd. He is on my list now.
So keep your animals safe, if possible.
Tamera
Country at heart
Anke said…
I am so glad you found Leo! After all the sad news, that must have been like a ray of sunshine. :-)
We haven't had foxes or coyotes for a while (whew!) and still have the same chickens we had a year ago:-) Our rooster does a pretty good job of keeping them rounded up and alerting them to danger, but I also think the foxes aren't nearby this year.
When are you bringing home a new turkey girl for your turkey boys???
Junebug said…
OMGosh my heart almost sunk again, but yeah Leo is safe! I know the sad is part of life but still losing even one of your flock is sad. I still haven't blogged about losing three of my girls. And to think it was during the day for at night they are locked up tight. Those #^@&#%#(@ racoons!

Give Leo an extra hug and keep hugging those goaties!!!Hugs to you from me!
Anonymous said…
Oh dear, I am so sorry for your losses. Hard to believe that Henry is gone . . . he had a larger than life personality. But so glad you found poor little Leo stuck in the hay bales. The baby goats are darling with their large blue eyes. I can just feel one in my arms. Have a good day.

Becky
jerilanders said…
Beverly , the stories we could exchange! I have had a dreadful fox problem for the last 2 years. I am at wits end with it. But we have also had a raccoon problem. A hen, sitting up HIGH in nesting box, GONE and ALL her eggs too> Last night we caught the booger. ( now we don't know what to do with him)
I am SO glad Leo is okay! I always rejoice when I walk the farm and find all my little friends are intact.
Anonymous said…
I'm so sorry to hear of the fate of your animals... mostly Henri who I simply found to be adorable with that Rod Stewart hair-do of his. *sigh* I'll miss him here on your blog, and yes... hugging a baby goat looks like a good fix for your heart ache.
This N That said…
Wow..what's next.So hard to keep everyone safe...Very happy that you found Leo..I'll bet he is too...thanks for being so persistent..that could have been tragic.
SO nice that there's always something around to cuddle with...
DeniseinVA said…
I am really happy you got a happy ending finding Leo and that last photo of you hugging your sweet little goat, what a great way to end a post.
Birdie said…
Thank God you followed your heart and went looking again for little Leo. I love your goats and request more pictures please. I have always wanted a Goat.


hugs
-missy- pennthenny #4003
Anonymous said…
Hooray for Leo! Maybe he fell while hunting mice?
I do hope the chickens haven't fallen prey to foxes. You have certainly had a tough week.
Kathy from Tasmania
Anonymous said…
I'm so glad you found Leo!
jean said…
Oh, I'm sooo glad you found Leo! I'm so sorry you lost two of your roosters. That's hard. I'm glad you had a ray of sunshine with your goats and finding Leo.
OH gosh...I'm thrilled! I was feeling down as I was reading and remembering all the sad things that had happened this spring around your farm and then I read the end...WOOHOO! Thank goodness you went up there and heard his muffled cry...he must have been so happy to see you (and get that first mouthful of food! Poor little guy. Well I'm happy for you Bev...you needed this. Enjoy your KeeCat. :)