I wear two hats with different names: Madison Woods when I’m wearing the artist hat, Roxann Riedel in real life and real estate. I'm a rock-smashing paint-making artist & a sales agent for Montgomery Whiteley Realty. Hailing from the wild Ozarks in Kingston, Arkansas where my husband and I work toward a sustainable lifestyle.

You can text or call to reach me by either name (see above):
(479)409-3429, or email madison@wildozark.com

Coyotes at Midnight

I had trouble getting to sleep last night. Then there were coyotes at midnight, just as the drift of dreams was beginning to take hold. It went on for so long I had time to turn on the audio recorder and go outside.

Now you get to hear the sound of this ruckus, too:

At first I didn’t comprehend what it was. Coyotes generally don’t come this close to the house because of the dogs, and the dogs had been barking non-stop prior to this so they must have known they were creeping around out there.

I don’t lock our chickens up although they do have a coop to sleep in and nests for eggs. Rarely one is lost to a predator because we have an awesome team of guard dogs with Badger and Bobbie Sue. They did a great job last night, too. This morning they are all tuckered out from the barking they had to do all night long.

These dogs would not do well in an urban environment because of the barking. But they’re the only reason we have chickens at all because the coons, coyotes, foxes and bobcats would have eaten them all by now.

Badger howling at coyotes. chicken guardian dog

Turbo was noticeably quiet during the crisis of coyote invasion. He was either scared or sleeping or had adopted the “not my job” mentality because he was tethered. When I have to tie up either of the other two dogs, they do the same thing. Turbo has to stay on a lead because he takes it as his mission in life to kill Badger at any opportunity.
Badger is getting old and doesn’t need that sort of stress, and neither do I. Dogfights, when neither wants to yield in submission, are a terrible thing. Especially when one of them is a pitbull. I need Badger on the job at all times, so Turbo is relegated to immediate home defense for the time being.
He's sweet to everyone except certain cats and Badger.
He’s sweet to everyone except certain cats and Badger.
When the youngest graduates college he’ll take him with him as he begins his independent journey in life and career.

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