Bring on the Chicken And Dumplings

The excitement has been brewing for several weeks now as our youngest daughter, Meredith, Paul (her husband), and soon to be 6-year-old Emma announced that since they were moving to the far , they wanted to raise laying hens.
She has always been kind of a barefoot girl who loved animals but chickens…who knew? Her brother Benjamin suggested a peacock would be a fine “critter” to strut around the farm and I, enjoying the same kind of tongue-in-check humor, requested goats. We all had our little laugh except for older sister Anna-Faith who just kept mum.
So here I am some weeks later, visiting the farm and enjoying the beautiful crisp Louisiana fall. Guess what I see as I look out over the very large back yard just behind the barn, nestled in the pine thicket … yep a chicken yard!
After consulting with Uncle C.B., (who is the authority for growing almost all domesticated animals. His collection included about 40 mules, a few donkeys, some horses, a few cows, assorted chickens, geese, ducks and rabbits.) Paul and Meredith, along with Art, Benjamin and the resident dogs began stretching chicken wire from tree to tree in the pine thicket.
They enclosed what had been a children’s club house which the chickens would now claim as their roosting, nesting spot and safe haven from the many “varmints” which share the farm with us humans.
They constructed a ladder for the chickens to climb up to their nests, put plenty of straw on the floor and then provided two large, ancient suitcases for them to lay their eggs in. The place was now ready for occupancy and two new farmers were off to purchase their poultry.
What fun we all had when they returned with eight fine (well some were missing great patches of feathers on their rear ends which made them less than things of beauty) laying hens. They were shown their new “digs” and welcomed by the whole family including the two very excited barking dogs.
Paul, Meredith and Emma all welcomed each new chicken and gave her a name, which included “Little Jerry Seinfeld.” I don’t know what the chickens were saying but it involved a lot of wing flapping, loud clucking and running around in their new yard.
That first day one very brave hen laid a lovely speckled egg. The next day there were three eggs. Day three brought us two more eggs but day four and five added only one egg on each day.
The price of each egg is averaging about $12, not counting the farmers’ time and labor.
Day six and seven are unknown but I heard Meredith telling the chickens that she is looking up the recipe for chicken and dumplings so she can read it to them.
I would say that they better get the message and start performing!
PATRICIA HALL
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