I don't know if I've ever told you all the story of the Chickens I seem to aquire.. But they are thye silliest Girls really.. My Neighbors seem to have a revolving door of livestock.. & one afternoon while unloading a new order of Hens.. a Couple escaped.. One went one direction.. they other fled to My Yard.. Thier Girls tried for several days to catch her.. even rigging up Boxes attached to string as they lay in wait in the bushes to try to catch the unknowing chicken.. She was just a bit too clever for them though.. & What she soon realized was that My Old Farm Dog Jake Was a Protector of Chickens! & Not a Big Fan of loud Chidren.. So she learned that if the Kids were in hot persuit.. all she need do was run to Jake.. & hide under him & her would bark ferociously at the kids til they ran home.. then the two of them would settle down together.. he'd clean her up.. & she's fuss about the near attempt on her life.. She soon decided Jake was to be the Father of her new brood.. I'm not sure where she ever really made her nest or layed.. But one day she emerged with three fuzzy yellow Chicks! (Obviously Mom had been fertilized prior to the neighbors bringing her home!) One chick quickly dissapeared.. I never saw what his horror came to be.. But the other 2 Sisters have thrived.. Always flittering back & forth underneath Papa Jake.. The Neighbors long ago have given up.. knowing now that these are Kathie's Chickens.. Although they are true yard ornaments really... They have the run of the lawn.. & do what they want.... Even as much as Perch in the trees above My husbands Head & give him a good what for as He make's BBQ'd Chicken on the Grill! They have no idea that all the eggs they sit on are duds.. but they really are the best Moms!
Heres One of the Girls setteling on a stash of eggs they've layed in a planter.. (They share the eggs of course..)
I can't get my picture to stick! & it's so funny too.. Dern it!
Kathie.. Farm Girl Sister #29
"In a World Where You Can Be Anything, Be Yourself.."
Kathie, I wish I could see the picture. I don't know what's wrong. But I just loved your story. How cute that the dog protects the chickies. I've got a yellow lab and he's my bird "herder". If I need to get them back in the yard, he'l chase them in for me. But he leaves them alone after that. That's about all he's good for. You should make a children's book with that story. I'd love to hear more.
My Beagle/Blue Tic Heeler also protects our chickens, and cats. When we drive into the yard, she will get the chickens and/or the kittens out of the driveway, so they don't get run over. Also the chickens, the mama cat and kittens rest, play or eat near the dog during the day. Farm animals are fun!
Years ago My Husband's Job used to take him out of State to work every other week for about 2 weeks at a time.. & the Kids & I would be chomping at the bit waiting for him to finally pull out Sunday afternoon so we could make it to the Livestock Auction! Not that we didn't love Dad Dearly of course.. He just didn't seem to enjoy the Auction quite as much as we all did! We'd alway's bring back something to add to our growing Barnyard! Never sure what would be there ubtil we arrived.. It was an Od mix of people to say the least! I think they must have worked the Carnival Circuit on their off Season or something.. It would be nothing to have a small heard of Goats.. then a few cages full of rabbits.. Next Several crates of Day old Bread from some Bakery.. Then a Nursery selling out with loads of plants.. then an entire Guinne Pig Farm! Anyway.. One trip I aquired a pair of Baby Geese.. SOoooo adorable! And Sweet too! I brought them home but once I got them there I decided they were just way to young to stick out in the barn! I had some really hateful Chickens back then! & a Silkie Rooster name Augusta that thought his job was to scalp anything smaller then he was! So I felt the best place for my new additions was the Shower in my bathroom! If they were Pigs.. they would have been happier then Pigs in you know what! This was THE PLACE FOR Them! As far as they were concerned! Then in the evenings when I got home for work I'd let them run around the living room for a bit & my little Border Collie Odie felt it was his job of course to heard them all over the house.. keeping the 2 of them in line!
Everything went along wonderfully til My husband got home! Thought that man was going to have a stroke! He said he refused to share his shower with Geese! I said your not sharing.. your taking turns.. He refused.. So.. I soon ended up taking my poor waifs to the Stable .. (I used to have a Horse Barn that I ran a business out of.. Boarding.. Breeding & Training..) Those Geese were Hilarious! Once they's gotten big enough to not stay in a stall I let thm run out back.. There waqs a little creek with a Bridge & the refused to allow any of my borders access to THEIR domain! These two turned out to be the biggest Geese I've ever seen! Not sure of the breed.. but they were grey.. When they saw their target.. They would lean down.. & run at someone with their heads like little Torpedo's! They were So funny.. I loved those 2 goof balls!
Kathie.. Farm Girl Sister #29
"In a World Where You Can Be Anything, Be Yourself.."
Stray Chickens..
Posted - Sep 22 2008 : 07:45:40 AM
