While I am watching and waiting for the storm that hasn't really measured up to predictions (so far), I reread the following note and accompanying photographs Kristen Southworth sent from her farm in Campbell Hill, Illinois, and thought I would share it with you. With the news of turmoil in Ukraine and elsewhere around the world, I thought Kristen's solution to a coup in the coop might be of interest. It also gives me an opportunity to tell you that Amy Howell Mittelstadt and I are planning the CWE Flea once again beginning Saturday, May 3 and continuing monthly through November 1. Kristen, of Shiloh Hill Hens, will once again bring her fresh organic produce to the Flea, located on the parking lot at 449 N. Euclid.
In Kristen's words:
"The most exciting thing going on here the past few days has been a change in power in the hen house. Our older of the two roosters, who has been in charge for the past 3 years, was usurped by his younger counterpart. I am not sure what brought about the role reversal, but it was sudden and violent. One day they were all ranging together and the next day, Rooster, as we call the older one, was wandering around alone and bloody. He kept coming to the front door to look in at us, so forlorn. Here is everybody else looking back.
There is an article in this month's Scientific American about how intelligent chickens are, which leads me to believe that the younger fellow has been covertly coaxing the hens to him for a while. If any of you get the chance to read it, I would recommend it. It may put a damper on your taste for chicken, but either way it really emphasizes the fact that these sentient beings, with complex social structures and communications, have the ability to feel empathy, and think before they act and should not be kept in the factory farm conditions that the vast majority of them now are.
As for our roosters, I gave the younger one away to a neighbor who wants to breed him (he is the green egg laying breed). Their fighting was completely normal and fighting to the death is extremely, extremely unlikely, but I figured this way everybody is happy. Here is our rooster back on his roost, falsely vindicated but proud as ever."
Thanks, and see you Tuesday (throughout the winter Kristen's been delivering fresh eggs, Amish bread, & beef from the farm).
Kristen