Fran is hanging in there one day after she was chewed up badly by a fox. Her back and sides are mostly open wounds, but she got up and out of the crate for a bit, and chickens are tough and durable, so we’ll take it day by day. I’ve heard many stories of chickens recovering from  bites and other wounds, and I think it comes down to how committed we are. I respect people who take chickens to vets and spend money on their care, but that is not our choice. We spend a lot of money on vet bills – donkeys and dogs – and like everyone else, we make choices.

But we are focused on Fran, applying ointments to her wounds, feeding her carrot juice, fresh water and meal. I thought it might be more humane to kill her and avoid suffering, but Maria and I talked about it, and we are both committed to caring for her for as long as it takes, unless she dies on her own. This is somewhat new territory for me, as I am sensitive to the idea of animals suffering so that humans can feel good about themselves. I heard many horror stories from vets when I wrote “Going Home” about animals being kept alive at all costs and beyond reason and in great suffering because people were too selfish to let go. I don’t want to do that, surely not with a chicken. But the fact that Fran could walk around at all today was a strong sign that might recover, and it’s worth a good shot. I want to be loving and patient and reasonable, and will share the experience.

I have great respect for real farmers, which I am not, and one of the first things they taught me is that farms, if they are to survive, must not be rescue faciilties or veterinary clinics. Real farmers work way too hard and for too little to spend money on sick hens or to acquire animals for sport. I am conscious of their struggle and their advice has helped my farm survive. Me too. I never quite know what the line is, but I believe in exploring it and writing about it.  And I know it is fluid. I’ve spend a lot of time on the ground pointing lenses at these hens, and Maria is also quite fond of them. Some people are already disagreeing about my decision to try and kill the fox if he returns, and to avoid vet bills for a hen. I’m happy to be open about the process, but as always, my decisions are not arguments for others, or for me.  I don’t tell others what to do.  They are my decisions and I am responsible for them, in conjunction with my wife and partner.

Perspective is important to me, and I always want to work on that. I’ll be posting about her recovery, assuming it continues. It does take time and energy – cleaning the crate, applying ointments, making sure food and water are fresh. Fran couldn’t walk long or far and is back in her crate, where she will be for a long time. In the nature of some animals, both Meg and Toots began pecking at her wounds yesterday, and we know they would kill Fran if she were not confined. They are not like us, bless ’em.