Well. ....THAT was fun!

We had a very interesting night around here last night.

Vivianne is sick with a cough. Unfortunately, despite my best efforts to 'rub her up' with mentholatum before bed, I could hear her coughing while I was working on the computer. I was hoping a deeper sleep would come for her and we'd have a peaceful night.

I was trying to cheat the system - in regards to our 23 baby chicks - and put them in the barn last night, in a race against the setting sun. (there is no electric in the barn) And I was doing all that - setting up a brooding area, closing off the area with straw to keep out drafts, running electrical cords for the heat lamp, laying down pine chips for bedding, etc - because I don't want 23 chicks in my HOUSE anymore!! Oh - did I mention they are starting to fly?!?!? Yes. Yes they are. Another one flew to the top of the Rubbermaid I had them in yesterday, perched and ready to wreck havoc on my house. Thankfully I was in the room, dove and grabbed it in time, but it was a close call - and the last straw.

They are "too young" to go to the barn as they don't have their feathers yet. But as I see it, they left me no choice. It's their own doing. So... up they went.  The barn was ready, the chicks tucked in for the night. All was well. The only thing bothering me was the unprotected back of the barn. It is a wooden barn that sits on the dirt earth. There is no foundation or flooring - which is nice for the animal poop aspect - but a fox or other vermin could just dig under the back of the barn and feast on 26 birds. (the three ducks are up there too)

We go to bed.

At 1am, I can't take it anymore. Surely it is not 1:00, but 5:00, because I'm certain I have been  listening to my daughter cough all night.
I get up and give her a spoonful of honey and her inhaler.
I get back in bed, and hope for the best.

At 3:20am - after not getting alot of sleep because my girl is STILL coughing - I "wake" - and I mean violently jerk out of bed - at the sound of screaming.

Animal screaming.

I'm pretty sure I am listening to the ducks being torn apart and ravaged. DANG IT!!

I run out to the kitchen, throw on my barn boots and race out side. At 3 in the morning. (it was suprisingly warm by the way)

The coyotes were aross the way screaming and howling their heads off. Patrick, comes out too and hears this. A dog is also barking. Patrick is relieved it's not on our land. I just pray they aren't bragging about the delicious meal of birds they just enjoyed. I reeeeaaaaallly didn't want to trek all the way up there to confirm either suspicion. We went back to bed and listened to my daughter cough for the rest of the night.

Can anybody say.... coffee????

Anyway, I don't usually get out to the barn by 7:30, but did today. I am happy to report that all my baby winged-things are alive and well. Poor little chicks are huddled together as the heat lamp is higher than they are used to... but they are alive.