Wow!! What a disaster.Please do not mistake this post for whining, but I believe we should share the good with the bad. It is important for people to know what goes into producing a higher quality,higher integrity food .This is not easy starting out. But with each mistake and setback comes knowledge that will serve us again in the future and each failure has become as enriching to our lives as the few success we have enjoyed. Long story short.After a day of non stop rain. The wife and I are awakened at 1:45 am by our wonderful and responsible son. "daddy, I heard some animal outside my window trying to get the chickens". MISTAKE # 1. Daddy,was tired and trying to get some rest so the wonderful young man was not initially taken seriously. Mommy was sent to make some noise outside as a token gesture to "scare off" any predators. (Truthfully just to satisfy the boy) Mommy notices power is out and therefore AC fencer is off. Mistake # 2 I quickly dismiss this a real threat. Because the fencer has gone off for hours during the day with no repercussions. 2:05 Am. I hear the cow mooing incessantly. This was incredibly odd and motivated my wife and I to don rifles and lights to investigate. Upon investigation we notice the meat chickens that share the protection of the fence with the cows were not in their shelter or the cows shelter as they generally spend their evenings. But they were huddles up next to the cows water trough. MISTAKE #3 Instead of picking up the chickens and placing them in a shelter or even locking them in the coop I decided the odd behavior of the animals was due to the weather, and the fact that it had finally stopped raining, combined with what appeared to been full or nearly full moon. I returned to my bed in an attempt to sleep. As I lay in bed dozing in and out of sleep due to the incessant mooing of the cow,I hear an owl outside as well. I briefly consider attempting to find and dispatch the owl. Mistake # 4 I decided it would be nearly impossible in the dark to find or deal with the owl. I banked on the protection provided by the cow and goat keeping the aerial predator afraid to bother the meat chicken. As well as the fact that the laying hens roost deep in pine trees for protection. 6:45 am unable to sleep due to the noise of the cow,owl and now the stupid roosters I drag myself out of bed just as the power comes back on. Mistake # 5 I breathe a sigh of relief that the power is back on and assume the fence charger is now working. I decide to be a lazy slug and watch cartoons with the boy hoping to catch a nap on the couch. Late morning after cartoon time,internet time,a long shower and a sandwich I decide to go take care of animal chores. The boy and I are greeted by a goat in the pasture that is making a heck of racket. It appeared to be indignant to the fact that the cow had escaped and is gorging itself in the sweet corn patch. The bottom two strands of fence are torn down,in an inward direction. Two fresh paths can be seen clearly through the high grass of the field leading to and from the cow pasture. All but three of the half grown meat chickens are gone. No feathers,blood or anything. Just vanished. So to recap. My mistakes in judgement have lead to a loss of the majority of meat chickens as well as the majority of the sweet corn. I now have to keep a close eye on the cow and be sure it has no adverse effects of overindulgence on corn. Again not whining but merely hoping to enlighten people to what goes into producing their food with integrity.
Posted on: Sun, 22 Sep 2013 16:58:54 +0000
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