Goodbye to the girls

We brought the recent additions to our flock back to their previous home today.

This is Mango who is quite lovely and iridescent in the sunlight.

















Georgia and I brought them in a dog crate to our friend's house. The brown one got put in with some hens and Mango was placed in with a giant rooster who mounted her moments after she landed in the pen. Sigh. I feel sorry that we couldn't keep them. They were getting plush and lovely, but last night proved, again, that we need a break.

Lily heard the neighbor on the other side of the fence yell to a dog that she glimpsed while peeking over the fence while jumping on the trampoline.
He yelled, "Get back here!! Come!! I said COME!!"
Lily stopped jumping and grabbed Georgia, saying "Get Mama! The dog is loose! The one who killed Moon is free!"
Georgia ran into me where I was cooking, "Mama, Lily says the dog is free who killed Moon! She needs you!!"
She started to cry.
I yelled for Rob and told Georgia to stay in the house. She nodded and, crying, went to watch from the window. Rob ran up from the basement and grabbed his BBgun by the door (Which we got to scare off chicken predators) and we all ran outside where Lily was standing by the fence looking brave.

Really? In the middle of making dinner after working all day? It's like a dramatic scene from Little House on the Prairie.

No sign of the dog (who is never supposed to be off leash after killing our chicken in our yard last year) We hurried the chickens into their coop. They were confused because they were enjoying the lovely late afternoon. Once we closed them, clucking, behind the thick wooden door, we all finally relaxed and then walked slowly back up the hill.


After seeing my slight Lily standing ready to protect her plump chickens from a loose pit-bull mix, I really decided I had enough. Off the birds went to hopefully safer digs.






My friend with the chickens is going to be breeding Maine Coon cats. Oooh adorable. They won't be ready for a year or so. Maybe by then Cookie will be mellow and ready for a companion?


Hmmm. But I think it was me who said. No. More. Pets.