Last year at this time was a very sad one here on the farm. We lost Sadie, our hard-working guard dog for the chickens, she was killed on the road outside the farm. We buried her in the orchard after the Sherriff had seen all he needed to see. We planted a tree over the grave in her memory in the spring.
I was at the Green Festival and decided to stay overnight, as we finished taking down our display so late. Sometime between 4:30 p.m. Sunday, when Nico left the farm, and 7 a.m. Monday, some person(s) came onto the farm and fired ten shotgun rounds into a chicken house. The chickens were roosting on their perches and 16 died. Sadie probably got freaked out, came looking for me, and ran into the road where she was killed by a passing car.
With the help of the Solano County sherrif Jim Curry we were able to identify all those involved in the chicken shooting. Killing farm animals is a felony and not a misdemeanor. A serious charge. The ring leaders truck was identified as one seen on the farm on another occasion by one of our crew. The sherriff brought a Federal Marshall from Sacramento to take sworn testomony in Spanish. Unfortunately the District attorney decided not to issue an arrest warrant or persue charges.
We have tried to moved on here on the farm. We have a new guard dog, Daisy. Daisy and Sadie have the same mother but different fathers. Daisy is still learning her job guarding the chickens.
As you can probably gather this still upsets me. Sadie was not a pet, she was one of us who worked on the farm and we respected and loved her for that.
It has been a great joy to have her half sister take the mantle and guard the chickens from coyotes.
Have a great Thanksgiving.
Nigel.