Sleeping Outdoors

http://s97.photobucket.com/albums/l212/oldwriter/?action=view&current=Elevenp-1.jpg If I didn't get these chooks into the coop early, they always roosted high in the bushes. I liked this idyllic scene and let them all roost "in the wild" for a couple of weeks--until an owl began taking out one or two a night. That took the romance out of their free, wild, and adventurous life. I was disappointed, but didn't want to lose any more of my banties, so, ever since, I have been keeping them in the chicken coop at night. I think the chickens also were disappointed, and only grudgingly took to the artificial roosts I had fixed for them inside the coop. If I was at all late shutting them in, I had to look in the trees, bushes, and vines to find them. I wanted my chickens to live with as few constraints and restraints as possible because that is how I like to live. Across the years, I have been burned several times because I chose to "color outside the lines," or think "outside the cliched box” and acted on those thoughts. Certain boundaries and regulations are unavoidable if we are to maintain a healthy and stable human society. I know this. I want to be a good citizen. But, like the recalcitrant chickens, I judge some of the rules of social correctness to be inappropriate. I still try to avoid all possible constraints I can. Like the chickens and the owl, I haven’t always gotten away with it. All the same, I’ve managed to become a septuagenarian survivor, and a productive, if not respectable, citizen.

Many Chicken Changes

About four months ago, the doorbell rang. When I answered, the municipal animal control officer was at my door with the question: "Do you have a rooster?" I had five. One of the reasons I got my banties in the first place was so I could hear roosters crowing in my own back yard. Well, a neighbor, who from the time he moved in three years ago, for some reason, has never liked anything about me, called City Hall, claiming that a rooster of mine was keeping him awake all night (not exactly the truth, because, although they crowed a lot, there was none from dusk until about four in the morning. Which, I understand, could be disturbing, but that’s not the same as all night). So, five roos went to our local animal shelter. The same day, I discovered two hens brooding clutches of eggs. About twelve weeks ago, they hatched thirteen chicks, seven of which turned out to be roosters. One is the silver-head in the accompanying photo, taken two days ago. This morning, Silver Head, along with seven others, mostly roosters, went to bring the nourishment and the joy of fried chicken to a family I know. They are living on an inadequate income, and know how to slaughter, dress, and cook chicken. So, I am left with a total of eight bantams. I retained the best-looking young rooster. My reasoning went like this: This is twice the neighbor has called City Hall to complain about me (the first time, about my Native Plant Landscaping). I have no desire to deliberately offend or aggravate him. However, I do want to be able to see a rooster in the backyard, and hear him crow. While I don’t want to annoy the man across the street, neither will I let him rule my life. This time I have only one roo, not a chorus of five, so there should be much less crowing. What I hope is that the fellow will have grown tired of calling City Hall, and will tolerate Rooster Joe (Joseph, because of his coat of many colors [See the accompanying photo.]). If the AC officer comes calling on me again, Joe will have to provide my friends with another small meal of fried chicken. But until the officer shows up, I’m keeping and enjoying Joe. The AC officer is a real nice guy who understands, but must do his duty when a complaint comes in. I understand, and he understands. Please tell me if you think I have a social obligation to the neighborhood to establish a more socially acceptable lawn, and to drop the idea of keeping a rooster.