Frustration!

Man, farm life can be tough on the heart.

When my sweet daughter ventured out to feed the animals she found a new chick floating in the watering font. Dang it! I knew the waterer was too deep if the babies fell, but they had been really cautious and the momma was ever watchful. Of course in retrospect, what's a hen to do if one of her babies falls into the deep waterer? Dive in to rescue it and perform CPR if necessary? I should have been more careful. I knew the water tank was too deep. I should have replaced the deep one with multiple smaller, shallower dishes the minute I noticed the babies teetering on the edge to drink. But I thought the little guys could handle it. I was wrong. Instead we are minus one future laying chicken. It's sad to watch the remaining family searching and calling for the lost little chick. I'm sure by fall the momma hen will forget and the two other little birds will not remember that they were once a family of four.

I hope I never forget.

The general unspoken understanding is if we take on the responsibility of having animals, we will care for them. That means we will keep them safe and warm and fed. In turn they supply us with food from their own bodies. It's a hard lesson when one of us forgets their part of the contract.