You all read the tragic story of poor little Hashtag. You all know I was broken hearted and determined to never get that attached to a chicken again. Most of you also know that I was planning on culling the ancient reds this fall because their days of good production are far,far behind them. There is the dilemma. One of the ancient reds has had a personality change. Last month she went into a hard molt. Her feathers fell out and her comb shriveled. This is normal for any hen over a year old. They do it once a year. For some reason this molt took a normally cranky and aggressive hen and made her needy and clingy.... to me. She hangs around the door calling me and waiting for me to come out. When I throw out food, she doesn't rush to be first to grab up all the good stuff anymore. She now stands at my feet and waits for me to hand feed her. She WANTS to be petted. When I am working outside she walks by my side barely avoiding being stepped on. When I stop she leans against my legs and looks up at me in adoration.
I don't know what to do. The young red was easy when she started acting like a pet.... I treated her like all the rest and shooed her away. She eventually got it and stopped asking for affection. The old red? We've got history. Together, we experienced snowstorms, heatwaves, baby opossum, the coup' in the coop, The noble battle fought by Elphie and Prissy during the carnage in the coop, the great exodus into the land of plenty, the heart rending death of Hashtag and the introduction of 7 new baby girls... one of whom will eventually be ruler. And now she is looking to me..... The one who introduced her to sky and grass.... The one who has watched over her for 6 years. She is looking to me.
I will not give in! I will will not get attached. I will NOT get attached...........I WILL NOT GET ATTACHED!!!!!!!!!!
I don't know what to do. The young red was easy when she started acting like a pet.... I treated her like all the rest and shooed her away. She eventually got it and stopped asking for affection. The old red? We've got history. Together, we experienced snowstorms, heatwaves, baby opossum, the coup' in the coop, The noble battle fought by Elphie and Prissy during the carnage in the coop, the great exodus into the land of plenty, the heart rending death of Hashtag and the introduction of 7 new baby girls... one of whom will eventually be ruler. And now she is looking to me..... The one who introduced her to sky and grass.... The one who has watched over her for 6 years. She is looking to me.
I will not give in! I will will not get attached. I will NOT get attached...........I WILL NOT GET ATTACHED!!!!!!!!!!
It doesn't make you weak to love a chicken. So love, love again. You have plenty of meals out there to pluck from. You don't have to hand in your tough-chick badge just because you let an exceptionally charming chicken run off with your heart on occasion.
ReplyDelete