There was snow on the ground today and I was so happy.  But then I got out to the chicken coop.  There were dead chickens everywhere.  Dogs had got in, even after we chickenwired the bottom of the fence to keep everyone safe.  They decimated our Dorking flock.  After all these years of working to breed chickens touch enough to withstand the desert extremes and to build a flock big enough to really start selling chicks…

To say that I’m discouraged is an understatement.  I was already discouraged because we’re having such a hard time dealing with permitting issues for our business.  Now this.

Pile of dead chickens, peacocks and guineas-there’s more than here than it even looks like because there are many babies in the mix too

Farming is so hard.  Not just physically, but your emotions are also constantly being stressed.  You have to deal with financial hardship, you have to deal with animals dying, you have to deal with isolation.  It’s really hard.  And on top of all this, you have to deal with a society who has no idea how hard farming is and expects to not only be fed, but fed at a price that makes it possible for them to still buy their Starbucks and ipads.  And expects farms to not have noise, smell, flies or any other discomforts.  As one visitor said, “why don’t you just buy chicken from the store instead of killing the poor things.”  Really?

*Sigh* I’m a little burned out I guess.  I don’t know if I’m going to rebuild our Dorking flock.  Part of me wants to give up.  Maybe I just need a nap.