Sherry wanted some dirt to refresh the coops and lacking any, I ventured out with the tractor and a box blade and started scraping the NE corner of our open field. I chose this area because it is where we will eventually have a sanitary lagoon for any future building and the more dirt I can remove now, the less will need to be done when we tackle that project.

However, once I got the grass out of the way and started scraping, we found a mother-lode of rich black dirt – no rocks. Considering the rest of our property (including the garden) appears to be class 5 (road base) gravel, this was a huge and pleasant surprise. With more than enough to do the coops, I just kept scraping and now have a sizable pile for our planting and future needs. The best part is when we need more, I can just scrape it up and keep making that pit deeper. It was quite the pleasant surprise for us.

That was a bright spot for a day that didn’t start off so well.

Earlier, like every morning, we let the chickens out of their coops around 7:30 and fed them and refreshed their water(s). All 3 coops now share both “runs” as well as the entire fenced off barnyard area, which gives them a huge and safe (we thought) area for foraging, dust bathing and exploring the tall weeds we leave for them.

Sadly, later in the morning I was working out behind the barnyard and was alarmed to see the remains of one of our newest hens in the corner of the barnyard by the back gate. It was obviously killed by a predator that tried to drag it through the fence, was unable to and left it there partially eaten. We are unsure of what it was at this point. I’ve caught possum, racoons and skunks back there previously overnight. All are capable of that mayhem but they are usually opportunistic and typically will only attack a sleeping hen that is perched rather than an active one that can escape – as well as dealing with the rooster tasked with protecting the flock.

Also, this was a daytime attack and all 3 of those critters are mostly nocturnal. We are guessing this was the work of a fox. We’ve seen them back there behind the shop and barnyard, but in 3 years have never shown any interest in our birds. Now, my dilemma is that now that it has a taste, will it return to the smorgasbord for another entrée?

I guess I’ll be watching the girls closely for a while, with my rifle close at hand. Long term, Sherry is working with Cooper so he can be trusted to be with the birds unattended. He seems to be learning well so hopefully, he can become our LGD.