"Mom, chicken!" Anna warned. I automatically braked the car and then looked. Sure enough, a large black chicken was crossing the road to get to the other side. I suppose had you told me when I was younger that I'd live in a neighborhood where I might have a bumper sticker "I BRAKE FOR CHICKENS" and mean it, I would have laughed.
The chicken had run from a farm house to a very nice brick home on the opposite side. Why? Well a mate had already preceded this chicken, but likely, they were planning to dig up the nicely mulched flower beds. I imagie the owners of the house will not be pleased. That (rightly so) gets under dh's skin when I free range chickens and he comes home to see the mulch spread out all over the yard.
So, I've been trying to get rid of some of the chickens but I hear a common refrain: "I'd love to have your hens but my neighbors would be unhappy if I have a rooster." What has this world come to that people don't like the cheery morning sound of a rooster? As for us, our neighbors, who have ducks but do not want chickens, like the distant sound of Aloha and Travis calling to the sun each morning. But then, they are not right next door. The neighbors who are never do complain, but then I've not asked their opinion. Likewise, I find it amusing to hear the peacocks and turkeys a neighbor has on the other side of me.
My favorite sound, however, happens when sleeping a bit late on a cool, rainy summer morning. A mockingbird used to sit in the holly tree outside our bedroom window and go through all the songs she had learned, each one distinctly different, probably twenty in all. She didn't return this year, and I miss her songs. I hope one of her relatives moves into her former territory.
Notes:
We had rain again today, and everything is very green.
Someone is interested in buying Phantom - but they are from Maryland! I think that is quite a long drive!
Happy Birthday to my sister, Teresa!
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9 comments:
I grew up in Maryland. It's big horse country!
My neighbors are STILL complaining that I got rid of our roosters. Annoying creatures, those roosters. But, I do enjoy our hens!
#1) how many chickens are you wanting to get rid of?
#2) are they just roosters or are there hens as well?
#3) we've got mockingbirds too and I love listening to them, it's the robins that annoy me. My neighbors on the other hand have beaten their trees w/brooms, shot at the mockingbirds with bb-guns and anything else they can think of as they are annoyed by them. I just tsk-tsk them everytime.
Kristen - so I am learning!
Arby - I lose no sleep over re-distributing roosters although I do have a favorite.
PITA - Right now I have two sets. I have one family of a full sized rooster, hen and her two eggs which should have hatched or are about to. I also have two other chickens, one a rooster, one probably a hen but I can't guarantee part bantam/part full sized black chickens. The rooster is going to be pretty as he's inherited the gold feathers on top of the black. I've seen mature roosters like him and they are very pretty. Is your farm interested? The rooster/hen/eggs family are used to being freeranged and living in a barn.
Hi Junosmom,
Nightingales, night songstresses, are my favourites, but I am happy to listen to all birds.
Our apartment is right beside a large park and every morning at dawn a cacophony of birds greet each other and the day.
Marvellous.
Tschuess,
Chris
They used to have chickens at the farm (before my time, not sure why none now), but I forwarded the info on to the farm's director. Will let you know if she's interested.
I lived in MD for 22 years before moving here, it is quite a drive, about 10-12 hours depending on the route you take.
Did you happen to catch the show on chickens that aired on PBS the other night? I believe it was called "the history of chickens" or something along those lines. It was quite informative and funny!
I found a DVD of the show online, it was called "The Natural History of the Chicken". Here's the link in case you're interested! (http://www.shoppbs.org/product/index.jsp?productId=1428832)
Hi Chris! Sorry for my absence! I'm trying really hard to catch up but it will probably be another week - more on that later. I don't think we have nightingales.
PITA - Thanks again!
Hi Heather! I have seen that show. It was too funny about the lady with the pet silkie. After years of having bantams, I can now understand. But perhaps I'm not quite ready to be that eccentric.
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