Big Boy, he WAS our rooster. :( We have chickens and roosters here at our home in the farms. The numbers go uuupppp and dddooowwwnnnn. Circle of life thing, you know? The chickens bring us eggs from time to time when the cycle is right and we are actively collecting the eggs. The chickens also bring us joy. They are free range and roam around the yard. They actually run to my car when I get home from work each day with Sergio. Then they follow us to the front door and wait for me to come out with some bread. They are also a pain as they poop on the porches and the side walk and drive way. And they cause sorrow when there has been a slaughter.
Yesterday when I got home from work, I saw a few patches of feathers in the yard. Uh-oh. Not a good sign.
Just a few steps past the drive way and I saw Big Boy. He was be headed. :(
I looked on line to see what kind of predator would do this. Have to admit my first thought was a neighbor that didn't like all that cock-a-doodle-doo-ing! But there are different signs of chicken slaughters as to who the predator was and this circumstance pointed to a hawk. The bird could have swooped down to kill the rooster, and then wasn't strong enough to carry away his body.
The online article also said that if you have free range chickens, this WILL happen. It's only a matter of time and like I said previously, we know that first hand.
So mystery solved... or was it? I was sitting on the back porch today while Sergio was in his pool and something caught my eye. Strolling along the back perimeter of our property, was a fox! He had something in his mouth. I couldn't make it out but it could have been a bunny. Man! Sly Old Fox!
Someone collected some of Big Boys feathers for a momento.
We are down to two chickens. They are probably traumatized. Poor things.
Another day in the Farms Life.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
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