Chicken Friends!

[JadedPhoenix]

Let's get a positive thread going.

I posted before about how my blue silkie gets bullied by my production reds but not my white leghorns. Well, I witnessed something last week that warmed by heart. I let my flock out to roam like I'd been doing since the weather has been warmer. Each day I'd return to the coop to check on the silkie to find her with two white leghorn friends.

Well, while I was sitting in my rocking chair under a tree and watching I got to see that as my flock got a certain distance from my run that sits up on a small hill one white returned to the run and the coop to let the silkie know that the coast was clear. Where the flock was they couldn't see the area in front of the door to the run. My silkie was able to leave the run to eat some good grubs and grass. Shortly afterwards another white joined the two.

So, how about sharing some stories of your fluffy babies looking out for one another?

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Greetings JadedPhoenix,

A couple of years ago I brought a little game hen into my flock, that suddenly appeared in my back yard. It was especially difficult for her to integrate into the flock, as, she was smaller than the rest. The large hens continually pecked and chased her.

After several weeks of being tormented, I started to feel that perhaps she'd be better off with her owner, who, I found out was a neighbor. He told me, how he was fed up with her, continually escaping her cage. Yes, she lived in a cage. That was not something I wanted for her, so, I ended buying her from him.

A few nights later, when I went to lock up the chickens; I thought I'd take a look inside the coop. I was surprised to see my largest hen "Inky", a black Ameruacana, outstretch her wing and place it over the little game hen! From that night forward, Inky and little "Riki Tiki" were best of friends. They dust bathed together, foraged and roosted together, every night. My sadness for the little game hen was over.

I still tear up every time I remember that scene. What a gift that was. To have confirmation that animals, do indeed, feel compassion.

Here's Riki Tiki and Inky together in the back yard.

By the way, Inky is featured as my avatar. RIP...Inky.

God Bless and peace to you.

 

[JadedPhoenix]

That is a great story! That is the kind of story that I had in mind for this thread. Our fluffy babies bring us so much joy in a world where we can feel overwhelmed with bad news every day. It is good to step back and appreciate the simple goodness in nature.

 

[drumstick diva]

Beautiful story