%$#@(*% Raccoons

This morning I heard something at 4:45, John Henry woke up & was on high alert, meaning, she was going insane barking in the bedroom. It was a real threat, whatever it was.

I got up wearing my jammie shirt & undies, slipped on shoes and went outside like that. In my undies. With a flash light. All the hens were scared shitless so when I opened the gate they all poured out. One more hen lost a bunch of feathers but she's alive and well, lucky girl. I think it was Rosy.

So I was running around outside in my undies searching in the trees for glowing eyes so Lan could shoot the bastards. I'm so glad he's got that 22.

FUCKING RACCOONS got 2 more of our chickens. FUCKFUCKFUCK. One Barred Rock & the Buff Orpington. The thing is, we didn't even see them as they were leaving the hen house and it took us a while to figure out HOW they got in.

But they are strong little bastards. And everyone knows they are smart. They moved the cinder blocks from behind the house. Today my chore is to get the Barred Rock hens body out of here and dispose of her, then I'll replace all the current cinder blocks, put up chicken wire around them and then add more cinder blocks around and over the current blocks and the new wire.

After I got some pants on I figured I might as well feed the horses so I put out hay, turned them out, cleaned the barn, got dinners in stalls & filled all the hay bags. Sarah will be delighted.