My Brooding Hen

With all the bad news happening in the world, and all the things we wish we could change, it’s really nice to get a reminder that sometimes things are not so bad, and human beings cannot screw up everything.

One of our hens has taken to brooding. And it’s only mid-February.

A week or two ago I noticed that she was lingering closer to the nest than usual – and a bit cranky. And then a few days ago she got annoyed when I stole another egg from the daily batch they have been laying throughout the winter. And then just like springtime was already here, she took to the nest and would not move for all the fresh scratch and water that I could tempt her with. She was hypnotized it seemed, by an obligation that is as natural and recurrant as the sunrise.

After a few day of her steadfast sitting, I pulled out the peep cage and stuffed it with fresh straw. I placed a box with secure walls for her safety, and a few nights ago – after sunset – we stole into the hen house in the dark and moved her from the open laying nest into the cage. At first she looked shocked like she had no idea what to do, but as soon as I scooped up her clutch of EIGHT eggs she’d been brooding and placed them into the straw lined nest I had made, she instantly climbed upon them and nestled herself in and dropped back into her trance – just like clockwork.

It’s been three days and I cannot tell that she has moved, except she’s drinking plenty of water and making prodigious poops just outside the cage when she steals away for a bit to eat.

I hope in a week or two to be able to report the good news of sweep, noisy peeps, freshly hatched into our large family of hens and roosters. I’ll keep you posted with pics.

This is a really nice indication that despite the Federal Deficit and Debt, despite people so frustrated by the complexity of their lives they feel compelled to crash airplanes into buildings, despite politicians resigning office for more lucrative positions in the private sector, and despite the unprecedented unemployment rate – Life Still Goes On.

A little sweet talk, some scratch and fresh water, and I have hens happily laying all winter long – and now they are generously gracing us with babies just in time for springtime. It’s just about enough to make a person optimistic.

I gotta tell you – I love this life. I wish everyone could see the immense joy in it. The world would be a much saner place to live.