Hens are Endless Entertainment

You know Chickens are underated. I have always enjoyed poultry but now we are around them everyday and lots of them at that. The lifestyle (and it is a lifestyle) we give our chickens is hopefully as close to totally natural as we can get. They are free to go where they want, when they want and with who they want.

Dust bathing and chicken gossip 

Our gardens suffer a bit but have advantages as well. The chicken bug patrol is excellent. A few chicken pecked tomatoes is not a crisis. We wonder if, because they are used to the freedom to forage what they want, the novelty of denuding a garden isnt such a big thing? Today we are in the herb garden getting ready to plant sweet potatoes. I am taking notes and the house hens are with me. They "Choose" to sit with me. Some preening, some just sitting on the grass near my feet. Some are having a nap under the car behind me, but all of them came over to be here, where we are.

Truck Stop and Eagle Eye

One black hen we call 'Sister' has decided to sit by my feet and just settled in as happy as can be. She looks at me, the sky, she listens to the bird above in the bean tree. Then she tucks her head under her wing to nap.

Sister

The hierarchy is interesting, we are a part of their flock. The two 'Big' ugly chickens who have good food sources. There are special hens who follow us more than the others. Hippity Hop, she has joined me. She is a Buff Orpington, she got hit by a car and had terrible injuries, including a broken leg. She likes me, her terrible orthopedic surgeon, she doesnt seem to be a bit bothered I set her leg badly and it points crookedly toward her uninjured leg.

Hippity Hop

 Wendy is here, she was very sick as a tiny chick and I saved her. Little Girl, Ralphs pet is here too. They are great talkers and the current discussion seems to be about grubs in the garden.

Peaches, Wendy and Little Girl.

After watching these marvelous creatures gifted to us by God, I cannot help but pity people who have no access to animals and only see chicken as "nuggets, fried or grilled". They just get eggs at the store and never see the miracle of hatching and the amazing care a Mother hen gives her chicks.  Yes we use the extra roosters for our dinner table but we know they lived well and gave us more than just roast bird.

Well it seems break time is over, the girls are getting up to go for a drink. Nap time is done. It reminds me we have work to do.

God Bless and keep you.

Thank him for the gift of chickens and all they bring us.