Granny and Her Chickens

When I was very small I would visit my grandparents on the farm. It was quite an exciting time for me. I loved to tag along when my Grandmother did her chores. One very important part of her day was feeding the chickens and gathering the eggs. I was a little timid around animals, so I always stayed a little behind her and the birds. She had some Rhode Island Reds, Domineckers, and Leghorns.I think she even had some Araucanas and Bantams. I remember one really big white rooster. I stayed well out of his way. I remember watching her walk into the pen very casually. She would go to each and every nest, getting the eggs from each one. Sometimes, the hen would be still sitting on the nest. She would just reach under the bird and collect the eggs. If the chicken tried to peck at her, she would just scold them and go on to the next one. I remember thinking, "My Granny isn't afraid of anything!"

Nowadays, I have some birds of my own. Although I don't have the variety Granny had, they are enough to keep me busy. Each day as I step into the pen, I feel as if I am stepping back in time, back to my childhood, back to Granny. And as the fall breezes blow, I almost hear the echoes of her voice as she calls to her chickens.