Chicken Carnage

I received a dire report from my father-in-law yesterday: 9 hens had been killed and at least 2 more looked like they might not make it. Why? Raccoons had apparently found a way into the hen house. My schedule didn't permit me to help, but my father-in-law proceeded to shore up the area he was sure that they had gotten in through and he dispatched of the remains of the dead hens.

By my count, just under half of our hens were destroyed in this vicious attack with 2 or more having uncertain futures. I hope to have a better accounting of our situation this weekend. But that, my friends, is certainly a financial loss considering these hens should lay about 180 eggs each during 2010. Quick math goes something like 1,800 eggs lost divided by 12 (dozen) equals 150 dozen x $2.00/dozen = $300 lost. Well, I wouldn't have got that new car with that amount of money, but that's the chicken business I guess.