The attacker

I live on a farm. 22 acres of peace, freedom and amazing views, in the middle of a busy city. No one but trees and creek as far as the eyes can see. We decided to get chicken. Then we got geese and ducks. Then peacocks and pheasants, the most beautiful and elegant creatures ever. Also some of the loudest!

We like to free range our chicken, ducks and geese. We also had two black swans, but one was sick when we got them and she didn't make it very long. Her mate followed couple months later, they were also free ranged. We would take them out in the morning, feed them and fill their pools with water. Go to work and at night we close them in their chicken coop, not before we count everyone and make sure they are all there. If someone is missing we look for them until we find them. Most have names: the rooster Fluffy, he was the protector of the flock and his call instead of "kukuriguuuuu" was "fluffuuuuuu". He was like a little puppy, he would follow around and chill in your hands, if you pick him up. But God save you, if you were an outsider. So many people are still scared from Fluffy, even though he's been gone for years, remembering stories of him chasing them around the farm. There was Axel, Junior (don't me misled by the name, it was a girl), Mini Roo, Tiny, the pheasant Ka, the peacock PeKa, Queen, Ice, June, Chip, Barbi....and so many more! I think at one point we had 200 chicken/ducks/geese member family. They love their days outside! And we were worry free...until this one day...

...the day that changed it all! It was the day we had our first predator attack! We came back from work as usual, but something felt off. The chicken were already inside the chicken coop waiting to be counted and the door to be closed. I counted and counted and there was one less- Junior was missing! I called my husband and we started scanning the ground with the flash lights. We looked for over 30 minutes, when I finally saw her! She was by the garage, cuddled up and scared. I tried to pick her up and take her inside the chicken coop so she can sleep safe, but as soon as I tried to move her, her head fell forward. She had been attacked! Whoever attacked her ripped the back of her neck. We tried to make her as comfortable as possible and put a heat lamp over her to keep her warm, and also some food and water. Now we had to find out who attacked her. I went into the barn next to the chicken coop and looked around, and then I saw it! The attacker was looking down at me from one of the roof beams with big eyes that looked like headlights, I point my flashlight in that direction and I saw a huge owl! I screamed and my husband came running to see what's going on. We scared the owl away and he flew with majestic wing span. I never saw him again. Junior made it for 4 days before she succumbed to her wounds.

After this day it was never the same again. We knew what the fear of the chicken becoming victims felt like. We reinforced the chicken coop. I put chicken wire on the outside enclosure to where nothing can ever go inside anymore.

And the chicken...they went on with their happy lives like nothing ever happened! The benefit of the careless mind.