Overall today was a good day... been keeping busy... doing good on my smoking... spent lots of time with bf, and time with the critters...
But, this afternoon, I lost one of my hurt turkeys... It was getting time that I had decided we'd have to butcher her, and probably the other hurt one also... I didn't want to let them suffer... well, Jewel was getting worse, managed to injure her other leg from flopping around... god it was so sad to watch her try to get around, I almost butchered her myself yesterday and couldn't bring myself to do it.
She was ok this morning, but when I went out this afternoon, I thought she was dead... I went in the kennel and she looked up, but really wasn't doing good. tried to get her to drink, and she wouldn't. There was nothing I could do... I made her comfortable and went back to check on her about 10 minutes later and she was dead...
I nursed her for about 2 months, before we decided to untape her legs a couple of weeks ago and just let her get around the best she could... there really wasn't anything else I could do for her... and I am thankful she is no longer suffering, but it still hurts... I've spent the last 3 or 4 weeks trying to detach from her a bit and have tried hard to not get attached to this new hurt one I took in. bf wants to wait and see if this other one does ok and can get around fine... he seems happy enough still, but then so did Jewel at first... I don't want to watch him get as bad off as Jewel did.
*sigh* I know, it's part of life, but that doesn't make it any easier.
Hi there, was really sad to read your post. I lost a pet a few months ago and it really upset me and she was ill for a few weeks before and i could see it was going to happen so i can identify with what your saying. It good that you were able to make her comfortable before. Like u said it,s also part of life, sucks at times dont it.
I have several critters myself, 7 cats, 6 dogs, and 3 rats.
Last December I loved my beloved 13 1/2 year old greyhound. On May 31st of this year, I lost my beloved pitbull mix, and she was only 5 years old. I had rushed her to a 24 hour facility for testing/treatment, they had never found a definite cause, and sadly I lost her.
All you can do is allow yourself to feel the pain and walk through it.
Give yourself time, and be gentle with yourself.
I still have days I am raw.
Holding you close to my heart and in my prayers! ((((hugs))))
__________________
"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguements and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance-that principle is contempt prior to investigation."
~Herbert Spencer
Lisa it's to your credit that you feel for what some considered lesser creatures. Their lives are briefer but they still feel pain and joy as we do. Give the rest of the critters a extra hug today, your onn the right path. Bob.
-- Edited by cooncatbob at 10:44, 2007-07-04
__________________
Work like you don't need the money
Love like you've never been hurt, and
dance like no one is watching.
Shoot, I'm sorry Lisa. It does hurt to lose a little one that you've been caring for. The only time I've been able to accept with ease the death of any animal on our farm was when we had the pigs butchered, and I made sure that was humanily. Someday, I will tell you the story of why I found it acceptable. It has to do with my hotwire not working, and chasing two pigs up Hwy 101 with my son's baseball bat, and rose bushes with all the blossoms gone......in my friggin' bathrobe. Farms and animal's passing is part of the cycle of farming, and it took me a while to be able to get comfy with that. Hugs, Chris
__________________
"Never argue with an idiot... They'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience..."
Thanks y'all... well, I think I might have lost another today or last night... I was out in the barn tonight when they were coming in to roost, not all the chickens were in yet, but I noticed I was missing one of my favorites, Cammi, a little partidge cochin... But, didn't think a whole lot of it as I still had some out gettin some bugs... went out there tonight, did a headcount, which I don't often do, but was fairly sure I was missing at least one. Yep, I'm missing Cammi. :( It's possible she's roosting elsewhere, but not likely as all those babies stick together... we do have some that roost in the tree by the house, but she's not one of them.
bf and I went out, set the trap, walked my dog around the barn, which she did smell something and we thought we saw something... found some chick feathers in the lean-to by the barn, brown, white, and grey... but we're only missing the little brown one, so not sure if that was just them losing feathers, or if something got some of them.
bf showed me how to set and open the trap, I also told him I wnat him to teach me to shoot a gun, because I'm sure one of those nights he was gone, something was out there, and well, I couldn't do anything about it. We're gonna do some hunting around here, and also get a door on the barn. We heard something tonight while we were out there, could have possibly been coyotes, but could have been the neighbor's dogs too.
I'm getting another chicken tomorrow, an expensive one... and almost hesitate to get it yet... because of not having a door on the barn, and predators... I met a woman in Lincoln who is as chicken crazy as I am, but not allowed to have many in the city. Well, she found someone selling frizzle chicks almost at laying age, first eggs will be fertile... this friend wants to get one and put the eggs under one of our broody hens, said she'd get me one also... and well, I may get 2 actually, I want a pair to breed, they are show quality birds, worth money.
Anyway... I need to get to bed, since the trap is set we need to get up early... more than likely we will have a chicken caught in it lol
When we loose something we "LOVE", a pet, a farm animal, anything that breaths air that we become attached to. As human beings we are given this wonderful "EMOTION" called SORROW or PAIN. We hurt and cry over the passing of a good friend in our animals. I know I do!
Jon, My husband just accidentally ran over a ferral cat in the garage and killed her instantley, but the pain was real for us both. It is final, no returning, no coming back.
For you Lisa, and you also Tenderhearts I will lift up prayers to "The Throne Room." May God bring you a supernatural amount of peace and joy remembering the enjoyment you have had with all your farming and your pets. How much Love and kindness, faithfulness, resources, food, blessings, and dependability all of God's creatures give to you both.
I certainly know that without my "Sobriety" not one of my pets would be able to survive a day. They are healthy, happy, current with vaccinations. Both German shorthaired pointers, and rabbit.
Gods Blessings to everyone that posted, thanks for letting me share with you.
