Real-life chicken story

[clt]

Hi—

I’m a horticulturist by training, though not currently by trade. I don’t have any chickens. Being an apartment dweller, I don’t even have a backyard. The reason I joined this list was to ask whether anyone has heard a real-life chicken story I once found online. For the life of me, I can’t track it down again.

Here are the clues so far as I can remember them:

1. The man telling the story was the minister or pastor of some church.

2. He had a small flock of regular-sized chickens and one small hen, possibly a bantam.

3. The small hen wanted desperately to hatch a clutch of chicks but was always getting picked on by the bigger hens, so the man built her a private hen house.

4. She successfully hatched a clutch of chicks.

5. One day a hawk flew in and all the chickens ran for their coops. The small hen ran for shelter at first too, forgetting her chicks, then ran back and covered the entire clutch with her body, sacrificing herself to shield them from attack.

6. The man who had witnessed this from his house went out with his dog who scared the hawk from off the hen.

7. Happy Ending! He thought at first the hen was dead because she stayed put, not moving, but it turned out she was really alive and unharmed.


If anyone has come across this story and can point me to the source, I’d be very happy too. Thanks!

Carol Lee

 

[Schultz]

Oh, I have seen that many times on here but can't find it. I know it's on youtube as well. Such a good story!! I will look on youtube...

 

[Schultz]

Found it..It's called "Call Me Chicken". The hen's name was Liza.

 

[Uppity Peon]

The story was told in the PBS documentary "The Natural History of Chickens". At least in that telling the hen was a Silky.

 

[Criskin]

I got in a little late, but I thought this was funny because I just watched the video last week on Netflix's View It Now. I liked it so much that I found where to buy the DVD. I chose Amazon, but I'm sure it is available at other places too. Anyway, here is the link"


http://www.amazon.com/Natural-Histo...ef=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1245961949&sr=8-1


I don't actually have the movie right now but I know that the documentary gives the name of the author and the magazine in which it was originally published.

 

[Thortherooster]

yep, the history show of the chickens, but i do not know anything about the dog....

 

[clt]

Hi--

This is the story I was looking for alright, "Call me Chicken." I searched and searched and just couldn't find it. Maybe if I had known the guy's name but it's not one that would stick. Anyway, you guys are the the most. Thanks so much!!

Carol Lee

PS: There was no dog. Guess I invented that myself.