August 27, 2024

Seasons of mist and mellow fruitfulness!

We have had a mellow misty August, delightfully cool after hot sticky July. There’s about a month to go until autumn is officially on the calendar, but we are having autumn weather now. Misty mornings with sun breaking through, stormy all-day rains that make the grass grow and grow!

The little Rhode Island Red pullets were moved from their nursery in the barn to the larger “nursery” in the henhouse. One wall of the henhouse is enclosed with chicken wire and is used for special cases, such as acquainting pullets with their new home. Hens must be kept in one place and not allowed to roam for a couple weeks to register that place as home. After that, provided they like the space, of course, no matter where they will roam in a day in their search for bugs and grass and adventure, they will always turn homeward when the sun drops down in the sky and the evening grows cool.

The pullets are now considered big girls and are released with the rest of the hens when farmer girl arrives every morning with ground corn for them. She fills their water pans and feed pans, opens the door and stands back. A stream of sleek reddish-brown birds rushes madly past her. They spend their days sunning and scratching for bugs and grass, returning to the henhouse for food, water and shelter as needed. Returning for shelter in the night is a given. Unfortunately, some young pullets believe that hovering in the vicinity of the henhouse is shelter enough.

“And can you tell me why you haven’t gone in to bed yet?” farmer girl inquired of the group she found dilly-dallying outside the henhouse one evening. One after another they answered.

“We didn’t feel like it” said one.

“It’s so lovely out!” said another.

“I’m sleeping outside tonight!” said one bold young rooster, diving into the tall weeds close by. Fortunately as the light was fading fast and roosters cannot see well in the dark, farmer girl was able to capture him easily and lock him into the henhouse with his compatriots.

The cows are mellow as mellow can be. Excelsior, the black and white tomcat who hangs around, sat in the parlor and watched them mill about in the loafing area. He was so tempting… one small heifer decided to taste him. Her long pink tongue slipped in through the bars and swiped his face.

Excelsior was horrified! Never before had anyone insulted his dignity by swiping his face like that! He backed slowly away. Not willing to show the world quite how disturbed he was, he walked calmly over to the corner and sharpened his claws nonchalantly on an old broom.