Last Friday I awoke to a horrific sound - the sound of a chicken screaming.
They often cry in the morning, because they want out of their coop to hunt bugs. I will often sleep through that until my alarm goes off. But that morning, the sound was very different. I glanced out the window and saw a raccoon trying to slowly rip off the head of one of my chickens, Egwene, who had managed to get out of the coop on her own. Alone.
I ran outside yelling and hissing and scared the evil creature away. Then I called in sick to work and spent the rest of the weekend increasing chicken security and keeping an eye on my now catatonic chicken. I wasn't too worried. She seemed to be moving around fine after the attack, even if she spent the next few days hiding in the coop. My mother told me of one of her chickens who had survived a raccoon attack. The bird had hidden for 3 days, but was afterward fine.
But Tuesday, my neighbor called me at work to report that Egwene wasn't walking. When I got home I found her lying awkwardly in the shade where they had placed her after she stumbled out of the coop. But she was drinking water and was alert. I attributed her weakness to sitting in one position for 3 days with no food or water. Over the next few days she seemed to be improving, but I attempted to contact my vet (who still hasn't gotten back to me, btw) to see if they could recommend someone to look her over, anyway.
Thursday, she died.
We buried her in the forest at the end of our street, surrounded by tall grass. She loved grass.
