Sadie and Jasmine got into a fight on Thursday.

I got home Thursday night to chaos.  I’m not sure which I noticed first, the items scattered over the floor or that my dogs weren’t exuberant at the door.

Sadie came hesitantly over to me and Jasmine, covered in dried blood, looked up miserably from her position on the couch.  I didn’t say anything.  Jasmine got off the couch and came over to me and I directed her outside along with Sadie, closed the front door, and proceeded to pick up there mess.  There was blood smeared all over the wall by the front door.  Lord knows what the carpets would look like if they weren’t burgundy.

The dogs weren’t actively bleeding so I decided that an Emergency Room visit wasn’t necessary.  I love my dogs but I’m not going to drive an hour and pay a premium for something that’s not life threatening; if I wouldn’t go to the emergency room if it happened to me then I’m not going to take my dogs.

There was some blood in the water bowl but I figured it was residue from the fight earlier so I cleaned out the bowl and filled it with fresh water.  But then Jasmine took a drink and there was more blood in the water.  I looked in her mouth and her right canine was hanging on by a strip of gum.  Again, it sucks to be her, but I’m not taking her to the emergency vet over that.

I was able to get Sadie into the bathtub to get most of the blood cleaned off and give her a once-over but Jasmine refused to get up from my bed.  I knew she was miserable from the fight and the wounds and her tooth so I let her be.  I’d rather save the “I’m gonna make you do this if it’s the last thing I do” card for getting her to the vet.

First thing Friday morning, I took Jasmine into the vet.  They had  to do surgery to remove her tooth.  I then had to drive back home, get Sadie, and bring her into the vet to have her checked out.

Ever since Thursday, the vibe in the house has not been the same.

Thursday night, Sadie would violently shake every time Jasmine was nearby.  Jasmine still doesn’t want to do anything but lie in my bed.  I have to coax her to get up and eat.

I’m not if Jasmine’s behaviour is due the pain from her injuries or if she’s depressed.  Is that feeling of defeat that I’m picking up a projection of my emotions?

In hindsight, I’m not sure what to think about my mood on Thursday.  I can’t pinpoint when, where or how it started but by the time of my drive home I was very angry and ready for a fight.  How fitting that I came home to what I did.  Was it coincidence?  Were the dogs picking up on my mood or was I picking up on theirs?

I’m dreading tomorrow.  I have to go in to work, but I don’t want to leave the dogs alone.  I think I’ll leave Jasmine in my room and barricade the door.

I got Mean Greene some friends.

I didn’t give chickens enough credit.  The other night I took one of the hens from the main coop and put her in the other coop with the new rooster.  Brown hen spent her days calling out for her mates.

This morning I went out there to let the main flock out.  I couldn’t find one of the australorp hens until I looked around the corner.  She was standing there looking at the brown hen I had put with the new rooster.  Yeah, I couldn’t keep them apart so I let the brown hen return to the flock.  Everyone was glad to see her.  She did seem a bit sad to leave Mean Greene, but not that sad.

I called a man I know and he happened to have a couple of red pullets.  He didn’t know much about them other than that they had rose combs and were most likely brown or colored egg layers.

I introduced the two new hens this afternoon.  MG seems eager but so far is acting like a gentleman.  He’s giving the hens their space.  I know I’m counting my chickens before they hatch, but this is a good pairing.

The hens have rose combs, which is good for withstanding the cold, and lay eggs that aren’t white.  Pair that with my Americana rooster and I may get a rose-combed flock that lays colored eggs …if I do things right.