It's a cruel world we live in...
here on the edge of the woods.
We suffered a horrible loss in the brooder house Tuesday night.
Yesterday morning we found three decapitated chicklets in the house.
We have no other evidence of what transpired except the remains.
You have no idea how sad this makes me.
Sick in the stomach...desperate sadness.
I have these little souls in my charge, and somehow I have failed them.
I can only guess that a weasel or mink slunk into the house and found an easy dinner.
Needless to say, I packed up my tiny charges and moved them into the barn.
A large and deep unused water tub will serve as home for a week or two,
until they are larger and I go over the brooder house with a fine tooth comb...
looking for any holes that would allow a varmint to enter.
Of course I also had to assure that no barn kitty could make dinner out of them,
so the water tub is safely covered with wire.
Heat lamps will keep the cold away (our nights are still in the 20's).
Farm life offers constant reminders of how brutal the natural world is.
I try my hardest to shield the farm animals from predators,
but sometimes I am out-witted.
On another note, Smilin' Jill wanted to say howdy and give you a news
report from the goat pen.
It seems that O'Malley and Sally are shedding their luxurious winter coats...
a Springtime tradition.
These two redheaded mother/daughter beauties grow the most
amazing cashmere coats each winter...
giving them a more sheep-like appearance.
Sally, once as fluffy as her mother (above) has already changed into her
summer duds and is looking sleek.
For some reason, O'Malley is holding onto her coat...
perhaps it is the cold nights we've been experiencing.
O'Malley, being much older and wiser, knows the value in not putting away your
winter wardrobe too early in the season.
"These kids," says Jill, "just don't have any common sense!"
Comments
A lovely sunny day finally here with NO WIND!! Oh my have we had windy days. Have had enough of that..lol.
Judi B.
Great visiting you always . . . sad with this news though . . .
On another note, goats' teeth are just so amusing in photos.
: (
Kris
It might be worth putting a live trap in the brooder house to see if they try to strike again & let you identify the culprit and how it got in.
Love those toothy goats getting ready for warmer weather.
The goats are adorable!
What do you do with your goat brushings? The soft fuzz.