An unimaginable tragedy

As you know (especially if you're a fan of Well, I Like a Lot of Taffy), I've been on vacation the past few days. While I was enjoying myself playing Bocce and removing the outer layers of my epidermis by rubbing a mixture sand and sunscreen over my body in Port Aransas, my poor flock was being terrorized by another opossum. At least, I assume that's the culprit based on previous experience.

When we returned home yesterday, two chickens, Pearl and Juanita, were missing and feathers were strewn about the backyard, concentrated near a new hole in the chicken coop. Patrick was ok, but obviously lonely. Gloria was still sitting on her peafowl eggs. Rather than allow myself to be overcome with grief, I focused on the positive and considered that soon enough I would have a bunch of little peacocks strutting around behind Gloria.

That all changed this morning when I noticed that Gloria was spending an inordinate amount of time off the eggs. Normally, she might get off the eggs briefly to stretch her legs and get a drink of water, but she would never leave them more than a minute or so. Well, the stupid opossum has ruined my day by stealing my eggs. I almost didn't blog this morning because I was too upset. I can only imagine how poor Gloria must be feeling. She's lucky to be alive, I guess. And, she's no longer broody. She seems sad, though.

So, I spent all morning putting up an electric fence. Then to cheer myself up, I went to the feed store and bought two new hens (surprise Trav!). I haven't named them yet.  Now that I've combined my love of buying new things with my love of chickens, I feel a little better. By the time I finish my tequila cran-rise (It's a Tuesday!) I should be over the overwhelming grief and rage. With any luck this opossum will be as stupid in the last and bite the electric fence when he comes tonight. Then when we find him twitching with his jaws stuck around the wire, we can finish him off and avenge Pearl, Juanita, and our unborn peacocks.