These beautiful girls were victims of a brutal attack one night when I stupidly left the door to their coop open (altho the run was closed and there is garden netting over the top of it). Not sure what attacked them, but I'm highly suspicious that it was a couple of raccoons, since I think they are about the only animal that could climb a six-foot fence, pull back the garden netting from the top of the run and then climb in and back out again. In any event, Maggie - the Rhode Island Red that I'm holding - was just the sweetest girl ever. She'd see my car pull up in the driveway after a long day of work in the city (YUK!) and come running as fast as she could all the way across the yard to greet me. What a great feeling that is when someone is so thrilled to see you! Any stress I was carrying from the day would just instantly disappear. Wilma, the Barred Rock, was definitely at the top of the pecking order and a true diva. She was extremely bossy and put the other girls in their place in a heartbeat. Also, she always got the best roosting spot in the coop and altho she was the last to get out of bed every morning, she'd peck all the other girls out of the way when she went to the feeder, as if to say "The QUEEN has arrived! Make way for the Queen!" She wasn't warm and friendly like Maggie (what divas are?), but I do miss her. RIP girls. I hope you forgive me for my dumb mistake, but I know you're in Heaven now enjoying endless fields of grass, clover, bugs and sunny days.
