Aww, wow. Sorry for such a sad morning. I do feel bad for the little pepper who's responsibility this fell too, but what a visceral lesson! Not one that will be easily forgotten.
It's lessons like these that are impossible to learn without tactile experience. I think life on a homestead is powerful, particularly for young kids (this is one of the primary reasons we moved our family out to the Ozarks, too!) I used to work at a school that "padded" everything for the children. Nothing too upsetting, controversial, or difficult--and as a result, I don't think that those kids were experiencing reality, or being prepared for the real world. The real world can be hard, cruel, and it makes you tough if you're willing to learn. The real world is also beautiful at times, and the grace of having another bird take on the dead duck's brood is a gentle reminder of that as well.
Hope that the littles on the homestead recover, a little wiser, a little more tough, and a little more grateful. Thanks for a great article!