Part I: Minimizing Risk vs Resizing

After the chicken loss on 355, and therefore, the movement of the experimental chicken farm up closer to the house in the Belle Tower, we had another recent event happen. This time, it was with our own animals. A couple of weeks ago, and I don't remember the exact day, I came home from work as usual. Even though I sometimes drive up to the house and animals are not where they "should be", on this particular day, it was Dixie and Davis, with all the goats and sheep who had escaped from the back pasture to enjoy the day in the front yard of the house along with access to the barn. The barn stores the feed, alfalfa, the chickens plus more. It was a hay day for them all. My heart sank. How long had they been out? As I knew Dixie and Davis have killed our chickens previously, and I began praying in my head that it didn't happen again.
It's a whole circus act trying to get them all back to their own pasture. Some of the goats and sheep are in the barn, the dogs are running wildly around and they all know what I'm there to do: Move them back to their own area. But this is all so interesting, fun and exciting, they tell me! New smells, food and fun. The goats and sheep have literally eaten every leaf off the bushes alongside the house. I'm not sure those bushes will survive. The barn looks like a bomb went off in it. Bins toppled over, poop everywhere, the hay stocked so nicely is now scattered about. The clean up will take hours.
And indeed, it did take time to get the goats, sheep along with Dixie and Davis back to their place in the back pasture. The gate must have come unlock, even though I can't say how it happened. It happened, and human error is part of life. The goats and sheep are not my focus, as much as what did Dixie and Davis do with the chickens free ranging about?
It wasn't until after I got everyone back in their place did I go back and start counting the chickens. I have 15 that live in the barn, and 21 that now live in the Belle Tower. It's the 15 that live in the barn and free range around it that I'm concerned about. By now, it's dark, as it gets dark by around 5:30 pm. The chickens are settling in to their roosting places in the barn, and I start counting. 1, 2, 3, up to 12. I go through Roll Call in my head and realize that all three of my silkies are missing. I'm so upset with Davis and Dixie. Those little silkies cannot fly, and with their short tiny legs cannot run fast. The more I look around, the more I realize what has happened. It's like a crime scene. I see blood, I see parts of my sweet chicken, and start crying. I see where they got one for sure. As I keep investigating, I cannot find the other two silkies. Frantically, I get a flashlight and start roaming the property for signs of the other two. Nothing. Where are they? Are they alive? After exhausting my search for them, and with all the animals back in their proper places, I head inside. I've looked around everywhere, multiple times. Nothing. Now I'm still crying, as my sweet Snow White has been killed by my very own dogs. She's just a chicken. But she's my chicken.
Fast forward to a restless night, and eagerness for the sun to rise. I head to the barn to see if Coco and Frizzle are anywhere to be found - dead or alive. Surprisingly, Frizzle is up and walking around with the other. Still no sign of Coco. I have one silkie left from the rampage of the guard pups. Coco has never been found.
Dixie and Davis are wonderful guard pups to the goats and sheep. Wonderfully awesome, matter of fact. But they are chicken eaters. I realize we will never be devoid of this predicament, and gates opening and closing are a way of life here on the farm. They are a risk. A huge risk to other animals lives - chicken lives matter. What to do about this? It's not like we didn't know, as that's why they've always been stationed in farther away pastures with larger animals. They are the reason we bought the goats. But how long can we keep that up, with the inability to incorporate them into the culture we have? Buying goats for Dixie and Davis to guard was perfect to finalize their guard training. And guard dogs extraordinaire they are! But they cannot be trusted. The risk is too great. I'm not able to keep them contained on a consistent basis, I'm just not able to. How will they be able to be our replacement in a few years when Levi and Whisper retire from guarding? They won't, is my sad answer.
Fast forward again to sitting in front of the computer on CraigsList. An Ad goes up, showcasing the guard dogs awesomeness and guarding skills - with a Warning : chicken eaters. This is important, as I can't with a clear conscience have them go to another farm/ranch and continue to eat chickens (someone else's chickens). It must be known ahead of time. Fast forward some more, and I've got texts from other people in the area with sheep and goats who want Dixie and Davis for their guarding purpose. Perfect, and the process begins. I will be sharing them, not charging for them. They need a farm/ranch for them to go "work". It's what they do best. And in the pictures I had posted of the guard pups (who are 1 year old now), are the goats. People want the goats, too. And they ask about sheep. Now all of a sudden, we are evaluating who will really leave the farm.
Today is the day. People are coming for Dixie and Davis and there will be crying involved. Farmers cry, as with love on a farm - there is always loss. This loss is different that other losses. It's a disappointment unlike the other losses. Goats and sheep will likely also be negotiated, and it's really an unknown of who will stay and who will go. Do all the goats leave now? Do we downsize our sheep population, too, while we're at it? Right sizing and resizing is about to happen. It's part of the ebb and flow in the universe. Creating, recreating and movement after stability and instability is swirling. What to do - what not to do. Where is the book that tells me what to do? I realize, I'm writing that book right now. Do what it is you need to do, to protect all animals on the farm. And give those leaving an opportunity to thrive and be happy as well. The crying has started early today.

Part II to this story will be written later on. Not likely today, as I'll need some time to process it all. I'll need to draw on my memory bank of Bright Sides and What's Next moments. I'll need to reflect on the fun and the experiences from which I've learned in this chapter of life. Turns out, As The World Turns On The Farm is a thing on Craigslist. The coming and goings of farm animals. It's a real thing.

Before I close, I'd like to shed a little sunshine. I have located a man who thinks he can fix our pond. The prior contractors had wrecked our pond more than we realized, and we are in dire need to having it corrected. He appears to be our blessing in this moment. Coming in to save the day. Although we've thought that twice before. So, that will be a question mark answered in the next couple of weeks, I imagine. The Pond Saga continues, just in a new direction. Again. Will this be the final time? Time will tell us that soon.

Hope everyone's holiday was delightful,

Cyndi