EVANGELINE PARISH — "It's nice to have movement in there again," Sheri said, smiling as she watched her new chickens explore their coop.
Just a week ago, Sheri Bertrand’s chicken coop sat empty. A roaming pack of dogs had attacked, leaving 26 of her birds dead—replacing the usual clucks and fluttering feathers with silence and heartbreak.
“It’s been more of an emotional roller coaster than anything,” she said. “I know it sounds silly—they’re just chickens—but this is a hobby for me. I care about them.”
What Sheri says started as a disaster has now become a journey of healing.
“After the story aired a sweet lady named Tonya Soileau reached out—she gifted me about five or six of her chickens,” Sheri said. “Big shoutout to her!”
Tonya, a farmer in Evangeline Parish, told KATC she simply wanted to help. With extra chickens she didn’t need, she was happy to pay it forward.
Now, Sheri’s once-empty coop is full of sound, life, and hope.
“How are you keeping the coop safe this time?” KATC’s Paris Flannigan asked.
“I upgraded!” Sheri replied proudly. “I took off the plastic, replaced it with hardware wire, and added a spring to the door. There’s real tension now—it would be a miracle if a dog got through.”
“Tight and secured,” she echoed. “I learned my lesson.”
What was once a nightmare has now turned into a blessing—and a reminder that one small act of kindness can rebuild more than just a coop.
“We chicken people gotta stick together,” Sheri said. “What she did for me was really sweet.”
Sheri also tells KATC that another person from Facebook offered to donate chickens, and she’s grateful for the community support. Meanwhile, the mayor’s office has sent out dog catchers to patrol the area—and Sheri says she’ll be keeping a close eye on her new flock.
