Murder and mayhem.

A terrible tragedy to report from the farm.  This is how it all went down.

My sarcoidosis has progressed and the pain makes it hard for me to sleep, so last night about 3 am I gave up and took a pain killer.  I save them for the day time when I need to get things done and for the first time since my latest operation, I took one at night.  Afterwards I fell in to a lovely deep sleep only to be awoken an hour later by Blondie barking her head off downstairs.  I tried to ignore her for ages, but in the end went downstairs and let all the dogs out.  I regret trying to ignore her.

Blondie and Teddy ran to where the deer like to hang out in the garden and I stood there with Biskit body slamming me in an attempt to herd me.  It was then I heard our Ducky Boy in the meadow.  Ducky Boy does not go out at night and so I walked over to talk to him.  He flew over my head and towards the hen house.  I went in to get a light.  Biskit continued to try to herd me.  As I walked to the hen house I saw the door was open and knew something horrible had happened.  A beam of light on the ground told the tale.  Bodies everywhere!

Something low to the ground was moving through the tall weeds and I shut the gate to the pen hoping to trap it in and limped/waddled as quick as I could to the house to summon help.  "Help Help I need help"!  I yelled up the stairs.  Brad and William came running out.  My boy holding a big gun.  Biskit tried to herd them.  I grabbed a rake and told Brad to grab the shovel.  William put Biskit in the pick-up because she was really getting on everyone's nerves at this point.  Blondie had run back inside shivering and Teddy was looking for deer to herd.

Whatever it was had gone.  Only a hen, who kept on her perch, and Ducky Boy were untouched.  Jet Lag, our rooster, is badly hurt.  Everyone else is dead. This morning JL is resting with his head down.  He has lost many feathers and has been bitten on his back and neck.  I sprayed some pain ointment on his bare patches.  I'm hoping it's just shock and pain and not some internal injuries.

We suspect the badger, that Brad and William have seen a few times hunting gophers, is the killer.  If only he stuck to gophers.  The mother hen is very protective and Jet Lag always has been, and it seems they put up a huge battle when the badger tried to make off with one of them.  Badgers are extremely vicious when cornered.  Jet Lag's feathers were all mixed in the hens, which were spread outside all over the pen.

Poor Jet Lag.  I feel so terrible for him.  He's a wonderful bird.