I started blogging for 'Grit' this year & after sending them 18 articles which they requested I do 1 a week, I felt sad that they seemed to dump me in June without telling me why even though I emailed them asking them why.
But being a Capricorn, I try never to give up so I found this Blog which won't dump me for the things I write. You know us ole 'Goats' we are stubborn to the bone & will find another way to get things done!
Now I am not saying that I or my blog is that important to anyone but me, I like to write about what is occurring in my life so I can look back later & laugh at some of the things I have either gone through or had to deal with.
My last Blog was about the chicken butchering that got witnessed by a neighbor. I try not to let things get to me & am thankful her house is not close but still next door. I knew this was coming from her eventually because when I had a pig I was sending to slaughter she begged me to let her find it a home. Lovey was a angry Pot Belly pig who was attacking me daily so I called our local slaughter business to have her made into sausage & was dumb enough to mention it to this neighbor. Well, I being who I am, gave in & let her find Lovey a home on a large farm, where I might add she is doing wonderful. So I knew then we were going to have problems in the future, when I didn't cave into her requests or begging. I understand her point of view but I am of a different era & mindset....yes that can mean I am also set in my ways...Hey I earned it!
I also will not take orders from a girl who is all of 35 yrs old (my son's age)just because she thinks all animals should never be killed for any reason. As you can see my poor heart is having a tough time with this, because I never like to hurt someone but this is going to be a on-going problem.
The reason I titled this about feeling distrust is this girl has admitted to me that when she was in one animal rescue group they would go at night & steal the animal they felt was being abused. So for the first time since I have lived here, I had to get a lock to lock up my shop so she wouldn't have access to the coop if she ever decided to try & get the chickens. Please don't get me wrong, I am hoping she never does try, but I am uneasy about what she had told me & now can't trust what she might do. For those of you who don't understand why I have to lock the shop to protect the chickens it is because up here in Massachusetts we have a nasty little animal called a Fishercat, that is related to the mink family & mean as all get out.
Last winter I had one get into the coop area & behead a chicken & kill my 6 yr old rabbit. So I built this last April a Fort Knox of coops in my shop with a small door that opens into their run. The outside walls of my shop are 4 inches thick so it would take a Fishercat many days or nights to eat through it to get to my 'kids'. Plus the outside door of the coop into the run has a steel bar that goes through the handle into the ground so that it can't be opened by any animal. I might have been a bit over caution but they have been very safe from animals but not from humans with the shop being unlocked at night.
I never heard from the police so either her husband talked her out of it or when she called the police told her it was not illegal for me to kill chickens in my backyard. Now, yes animal control could possibly make me get rid of the chickens but if they do she has to give up one of her 4 dogs as we are allowed only 3 dogs in this town.
So far no word from them either so I think she will hopefully leave it all alone, but if I am required to get rid of the chickens they will be all butchered since some of them are lame & they would distroy them. There is a chicken butchering company that will come to your house & do all the butchering, plucking ect for you. I know this sounds awful mean & petty of me, but I feel if it comes down to this, she needs to see what her actions have resulted in. Plus I would want to be able to hold & love each chicken before it goes & know that I, not someone would or might end their life. Just as I hold my dog or cat when it has to be put down & I am sorry to say that even though they say it is painless, the needle going into their vein always makes my animals cry out.
To some this may seem horrible but I have the heart & mind of a farm girl. I know where meat comes from, I have personally witnessed big noisy dirty slaughter yards where the animals are crying & afraid. Yet I also am a meat eater & understand life can be brutal. My animals are very well fed & cared for as you see through my other blog articles. If some have to be killed it is done as quickly as I can do so they do not suffer. I know there is fear involved because they are being brought somewhere they are not familiar with, but I try to do it all fast. No reason to drag out the drama of it for the chickens or me.
I find it sad since I adore my neighborhood, that I now feel like I have to be on guard & watch my step.
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