Tending chickens, likes navigating life, has its ups and downs.
Sunday afternoon, I spotted Nala in a nest box, squawking noisily. I may not know a lot about hens just yet, but I had the distinct impression that she was in the middle of an important task and did not appreciate me nosing about. So I left her alone, and returned a few minutes later. Not only had she left an egg behind, but she had done so so recently that it was still warm to the touch when I picked it up. They don’t come any fresher!
Yesterday morning was an entirely different story. It was cold, windy and raining heavily when the time came to feed and water the girls and clean out the night’s poop deposits in the coop. But hungry hens don’t welcome excuses, so I set out on my appointed rounds.
Nala and Snow braved the elements as soon as I opened the door leading from the coop to the attached pen, but Stella stayed behind in the coop, clucking loudly. I try not to anthropomorphize, but it seemed to me she was protesting the inclement weather, and holding me responsible for it. (The term "madder than a wet hen" comes to mind.) If I had such powers, Stella, the world would be a better - or, at least a drier - place.
Sunday afternoon, I spotted Nala in a nest box, squawking noisily. I may not know a lot about hens just yet, but I had the distinct impression that she was in the middle of an important task and did not appreciate me nosing about. So I left her alone, and returned a few minutes later. Not only had she left an egg behind, but she had done so so recently that it was still warm to the touch when I picked it up. They don’t come any fresher!
Yesterday morning was an entirely different story. It was cold, windy and raining heavily when the time came to feed and water the girls and clean out the night’s poop deposits in the coop. But hungry hens don’t welcome excuses, so I set out on my appointed rounds.
Nala and Snow braved the elements as soon as I opened the door leading from the coop to the attached pen, but Stella stayed behind in the coop, clucking loudly. I try not to anthropomorphize, but it seemed to me she was protesting the inclement weather, and holding me responsible for it. (The term "madder than a wet hen" comes to mind.) If I had such powers, Stella, the world would be a better - or, at least a drier - place.
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