And then there were 10...

...Chickens that is.  We have had our first farm fatality.  I knew with more animals in our midst we will have more of this,  I just wasn't expecting it to happen so soon.  Poor thing didn't even have a name yet.

Here's how it went down.  We are now building an enclosed free range area for them but until it's done this weekend they are stuck in the coop, and not too happy about it.  Turns out that neighbors and their dogs don't appreciate roaming chickens.  So, the girls and I headed out to feed and water them and two birds flew the coop. At the same time our dog, Shiloh, happened to escape our house and saw 2 chickens running free.  This must have been the moment that her 11 year old mixed lab self must have been waiting for... she was off on a chase for them.  The girls were screaming at Shiloh to stop, I'm screaming at the girls to stop Shiloh, I'm yelling at the chickens to quit flying the coop and hastily put the lid down on the coop.  Shiloh managed to get a few feathers but thank goodness we caught her before she caught a chicken.  Now that sight REALLY might have scarred my children!  Then I heard a loud thump on the coop lid and it actually "bumped" up. 

So, Shiloh's safely back in the house, the girls managed to catch both chickens, we open the coop lid to put them in... we find one deceased chicken.  Was it suicide, a weak heart, or did it get in the way?  Either which way, it was a Bummer.  Immediate sobbing and tears from Laurel, Sierra's asking me where it's heart is and do I really know it's dead, me trying to appear brave enough to pull a dead chicken from the coop.  Ugh... it sucked! 

Today we had our first chicken funeral.  We buried it, Laurel put rocks in the shape of a heart on top of the dirt, we named it as we each said a prayer.  "I hope she enjoyed her life and had good friends."  "Thanks for providing us eggs."  "I hope she has lots of cracked corn in chicken heaven."  You know, the usual things you say at a chicken's funeral!

Hopefully this will be the last for a while.  This one felt particularly traumatic, but hopefully we won't be having a full on funeral for every farm member!