Well, it had to happen at some point. Our poor house sitter went outside to find Jessica prone, headless, and mangled in the coop. Interesting that predators are so consistent – they always eat the chicken head first. They also generally eat the nether regions but I didn’t want to subject the house sitter to that type of cadaver inspection.

The other ladies are a bit rattled, but otherwise OK. Egg production is down, but picking up again. We found a small breach at the base of the coop, a place where a single strand of wire had rusted out. We can’t tell what happened for sure, but Jessica may have had her head stuck outside, or something small and agile may have come in. It’s tough to be a chicken.

For any of you who don’t know me, I am not heartless. I am sad she died, but if you keep chickens you have to put up a barrier, a clinical approach to death. They are my pets, but they die frequently and in unpleasant, messy ways. I’ve had exactly one chicken die of old age, poor old Larry, who was actually senile.

Silver linings: I only lost one. The others will benefit from more run space. She lived a relatively long chicken life. I found the hole and patched it.

My neighbors are probably a little frightened if they look up the hill in the morning. No one has ever accused me of being fashionable when I am on chicken duty. On  a recent, especially lazy morning, I couldn’t even bother changing out of my pajamas before donning my muck boots and heading out to give the ladies fresh water. Unfortunately for my legs, I was wearing a pair of monkey santa hat flannel pants, a gift from my friend Rebecca a few years back. They are wonderfully comfortable, and covered with these:

Unfortunately for my legs, the cute santa hats are the same color as tomatoes. Chickens LOVE tomatoes, so I had six hens attacking my legs, trying to extract tomato juice from my pajamas. 30 second later I escaped, but not before I had 6 painful welts (”chicken hickies”) all over my lower legs.

Moral: Do not wear monkey santa hat pants in the chicken coop.

I spent a full winter dealing with ice in the chicken water container coop. Twice a day, I would fetch the plastic water containers, bring them to the house and de-ice under hot water. I got tired of this, and then tried using a hammer to smash the ice out. The problem with that approach is that chickens need water, and if it’s too cold they won’t drink it. The next winter I finally spent cash on a heated dog bowl — it’s up there on my list of “the best $25 I’ve ever spent.” This is the model I use, available at Amazon.com: Farm Innovators 1-1/2-Gallon Round Heated Pet Bowl – Green Model P-60, 60-Watt

Now I change water once a day, and they have ice-free liquid all day. Definitely worth the $25.99!

The bill to make backyard chickens legal was voted down by the city council this evening. 15 voted for, 2 abstained, 20 voted against. The bill can be reintroduced in 6 months.

So, I may need to take someone up on the many kind offers to foster the girls. Alternatively, I can live a life of crime and keep my illegal flock. This is unfamiliar territory for me, law-abiding citizen that I am. Who polices the chickens? Will I be fined? Will I go to jail? And, how do you broach the subject?
(”So person so-and-so in authority, if I did theoretically decide to break the law and keep chickens, what would happen to me?”)

So, I am getting ready for the metro planning commission meeting when my friend pops her head into my room and says, “there’s a man at the door.” I screech “a maa-aaaan!” (What movie is that from? I think it’s yelled by an old hag but I can’t quite remember). Anyway,  there is Sky Arnold and his camera guy Steve. They wanted to shoot some video of the gals! For the record, I don’t normally wear patent leather shoes and a dress in the chicken coop, but I was getting ready for the meeting. You can see the story on Fox 17’s website.

Anyway, the big, wonderful news is: Metro Planning Commission Approves Plan to Drop Nashville’s Poultry Prohibition. The plan still needs approval from Metro Council, but I am feeling pretty confident that this will pass. I was shocked at how many other illegal chicken owners and their neighborhood supporters showed up last night. Kudos!