things i never thought i'd do or see #13

Harry Potter was our little sick rooster. I couldn't tell what was wrong with him. He couldn't walk. One leg would lay straight backwards and the other forwards. Like the rooster splits. He's just a bantam so he fits in the palm of your hand.I thought it was something broken.

We kept him in the hospital wing of our coop for a whole week. Taking him out on the grass for some sunshine and food and water twice a day. If we left him with the other chickens the other two roosters, stanley and dumptruck, attacked him.

Last night i was on the phone with my farmer friend talking to him about it. "I know i have to kill him, but how do you do that?" Terrified. Obviously.

He offered to come over and either do it or show me how. I felt like a lame-ass, but so relieved.

We took harry potter out on the grass and watched him for awhile. My friend got on the phone with his wife who was a vet. They did many tests chatting back and forth. It wasn't broken legs. Something neurological - perhaps contagious.

When it was time to kill harry i had to go hide in the bushes. All my kids watched as well as his son. They are so much braver. I think they don't comprehend how valuable life is and how easy death comes. I also think that changed a little for them last night.

When i talked to them before bed to make sure they were okay, they all were. Especially toby who said;

"Oh yeah! Because i'm going to be a farmer when i grow up!"

It's hard to beat the manliness of our farmer friend.

RIP harry potter rooster.