Doug Fine: Author, Journalist, Adventurer, Goat-Herder

I discovered upon this morning’s feeding that yesterday’s chick didn’t make it. This, of course, is something I know I have to get used to if I’m going to live a ranch life. But as a guy who doesn’t even really like to thin plants (who says I should decide which beets get to live and which die?), it’s a sad morning. For the brooding hens, too, of course, who are quietly snuggled together in a corner of the barn. All the rest of the chickens are giving them space. The somewhat good news is that none of the other FBR mammals had anything to do with it – sometimes they just don’t make it.