July 31, 2013
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Killer Chicks
We begin a new dog class tonight. I say that as I sit here next to my window where the perpetual drizzle of the rain is modified only by the tire sprays of cars going by. The class is outside in what Annie consistently refers to as ‘the wet/bad.’ The dog won’t pee outside when it’s raining: the chances of her sitting patiently in the rain to learn anything seem unlikely.
I went outside, camera in hand, to visit The Ladies yesterday. They swarmed me. They stabbed me in the toes. One tried to stab my lens cap. Three of the four Henriettas are isa browns, which are a cross between…two breeds of chickens I’ve actually heard of…and they are aggressive. For instance, we cannot just recklessly add another chicken to the hen pack now because they have a reputation for being assaultive on newcomers. Apparently (although I merely went in to photograph them) they perceived me as a newcomer. I should be less of a sissy here and admit that they were…curious, I believe the word is. What bothered me is that most of the chickens I have known are flighty by nature and run away if you raise your arms or move too quickly. I vaguely remember being taught, as a child, how to move in the hen yard so I would not frighten the hens. Good luck trying to frighten these women.
Every so often Nancy puts the dogs in the house and lets the hens loose in the back yard. They cluck and explore, often gathered around her as if she their leader. I don’t get to go out and play with them then because my job is to deal with the dogs, one of who sullenly ignores the whole event, and the other who is convinced that if only she could get outside, she could solve the whole problem in minutes. Let me out, Cheryl, come on, let me out. Nancy’s in danger–really, Cheryl, I know these hens and they’re vicious! If you don’t let me outside to correct this situation, anything that happens to Nancy’s is YOUR FAULT! Don’t even TRY to say I didn’t warn you…
The only thing worse is when Nancy rides her bike. She’s GONE, Cheryl–we’ve looked everywhere…
Lord, I am tired today. I could go right back to bed. It’s tempting….
