Somebody's lookin' for an ass-kickin'!

So on Monday this week, the kiddos and I were loading into the truck to go run some errands when Kendall pointed to a section of the yard and said, "Hey Mama...what's that pile of white fluffy stuff?" As soon as I saw it, I knew what it was AND what it meant. It was a pile of chicken feathers, and it meant something had snatched a chicken from exactly that spot. Shit. And right before vacation, too.Then on Tuesday night, I called Barry from work to ask if I needed to pick up anything on my way home. He said, "No, we're good. But guess what happened tonight? I had the kids in the tub and I heard the hens going crazy, so I ran out to the great room to take a look. And there, right in our yard, was a coyote, snatching a chicken!" Of course, this was of great excitement for him...so he ran to our bedroom, grabbed his hornet, and prepared to pick off that chicken-stealin' coyote! Unfortunately, the coyote probably knew his days were numbered and took off. Barry was pissed, but I think he was less concerned that one (actually, make that TWO) of our hens got snatched, and more pissed that he didn't get to put a bullet in the coyote's head. Now if you remember the great chicken slaughter of 2007, you know that Barry takes this very seriously! Remember how he was going to sit on the chicken coop during the night all Rambo-style until he took out the offender? I'm telling you, that coyote is lookin' for an ass-kickin'!

If we know anything for sure, it's that once a coyote finds an easy food source, he'll keep coming back. This has Barry and my dad concerned for the safety of the munchkins, as there have been reports around these parts of coyotes attacking children...so we have briefed them on proper "coyote protocol". Now, every chance he gets, Noah runs in the house screaming, "I saw the wolf!! He's comin' to get me! And I ran to the house, really, really FAST!!" Yes, we have not one, but two "drama queens" in this house. Sheesh!

So now Uncle Luke is coming in to stay for a few days, and he is bringing his rifle and coyote call, and he will also be sitting out looking to give that coyote what for. Should get interesting around these parts, that's for sure. But we can't have all my hens getting snatched now, can we? I've got to protect the girls, or no eggs! And you all know how I feel about going back to supermarket eggs, don't you???? And lets not forget the bigger picture...the safety of the munchkins!

Pray for a quick resolution, peeps!