Sad, Sad Day

Halloween evening was a terrible day here at Brambly Pines.  I had walked down to the barn to look for something and on the way, I thought I heard a noise in the woods, like something jumped down from something.  I stopped to look but didn't see anything so didn't think anything of it.  If I go down to the barn, I usually go back and see the chickens but for some reason, I didn't this time.  When Chuck went down to put the chickens to bed, they were all dead, in their mansion.  The screen had a huge hole torn in it.  Our conclusion was a coyote had jumped through the window and killed all of them but didn't get a chance to eat them, because they heard me coming down to the barn.  Chuck had been down there just before me, around 3:30 and they were still ok, in their yard.  So, it happened between 3:30 and before 6:00.  Lydia, our back neighbor had asked me if I had seen the two huge coyotes the week before.  We hadn't but had heard them.  She said they were down at the back of their land which would be behind our barn.  I decided to make a pet cemetery in an area along the path to the garden.  I tilled the area and Chuck dug the six deep holes.  Yes, each girl has their own grave.  I put their names on some sticks so I will know where each of them are, until I can make stepping stones with their names on them.  After all, they were a lot more than "just chickens" to us.  They were pets and gave us eggs every day.  When we were down at the barn yesterday, we both commented on how quiet it was down there without them.  Chuck said it was just weird.  Come Spring, we will decide if we want to hunt down some "fancy breeds" or just go to Tractor Supply and get " plain ole chicks" again.  After all, they were good girls and gave us extra large eggs.   We bought a dozen eggs at the store the other day.  That was sad too.