Bye bye ...

4.51 am - loud squawking from chickens. Don't want to upset neighbours.
Get out of bed, go downstairs, into garden, find chickens up and out early and tell them to be quiet. I go back to bed.

5.20am - loud squawking from chickens. Back out into the garden. Tell chickens off. Can't see 'Dipper'. Too tired to investigate. Don't think. I go back to bed.

5.45am - loud squawking from chickens. Reluctantly look out the window. Big fox has 'Nugget' in it's mouth. Run downstairs. Dog chases fox away. 'Nugget' looks badly damaged. Feathers everywhere. Count to 10. Acknowledge if I count 10 and she's still alive, I'm going to have to 'finish' her. 'Nugget' dies. Collect black bin liner. Pick her up. Put her somewhere safe. I go back to bed.

6.10am - loud squawking from chicken. Back downstairs. Big fox in middle of garden. Dog chases fox away. See bits of 'Dipper' lying around. Search for 'Dipper' and find half of her. Collect another bin bag. Pick her up. Collect bits from around the garden. Put her somewhere safe. I go back to bed. Sick and tired.

6.25am - loud squawking from chicken. Fox in garden. Back downstairs and into garden. Dog chases fox. Giving in rapidly. I go back to bed.

6.30am - loud chimes from alarm. 'Happy Birthday D', I say. D says 'Thanks. Did you sleep well?' ....

8.30am - Fox back in garden. Dog chases fox away. Poor lonely 'Gravy'.