No matter your age, size, feather type or gender … (although, generally we do tend towards 90:10 female to male ratio) every members’ perfections and imperfections are celebrated here at Chicken Corner!
To cover the updates gap from July and early August, let’s take a pit-stop at our inevitable and infamous friend ‘age’.. well well, it’s a love-hate relationship, being an utterly irreversible and ironic part of life. (Apart from Benjamin Button, who defied the laws of physics and lest we forget the narcissist, Dorian Gray – but it got him eventually). Are we fearful of aging or should we embrace it as a privilege; embedding us in the great circle of life?
I have performed some critical data analysis on the members of Chicken Corner, and results have concluded that a small-but-ever-increasing-majority are aged beings. When shaking the food bucket to signal mealtime (N.B. the most recognisable sound in Chicken Corner apart from my rhythmic clap and adjoining ‘hello chicas’ which normally produces a similar excitable reaction).. certain aged features manifest in various ways.
Two-legged bodies that once sprinted and half-meter long wingspans that flapped, propelling them off the ground in a desperate attempt to be the first to afternoon tea, are now reduced to plodding and limping. A combination of too much baggage in the lower tummy department and stiffening of joints over several years, mean these OAP’s aren’t as spritely as they once were. Its not all doom and gloom though, because upon reaching the food distribution area, the appetites of these hens have and probably will NEVER decreased. Who doesn’t love eating, hey?
Nevertheless, certain senses do appear to take a tumble in the aging process. The oldest Buff Orpington hen AKA Burberry Model has been experiencing tunnel vision for a number of years. Her eyelids nowadays fail to open fully, which makes everyday tasks such as eating, a challenge. Have no fear though, as your respected Director and Manager is on constant surveillance and as part of the residential experience, I cater to the specific needs of our members. In essence, I create piles of wheat so that she can generally understand the zone of food and then just dive in beak first, sure never to miss her target!
Loss of balance also catches these older hens out sometimes, but they prop themselves up resourcefully with an outstretched wing “Nothing to see here, thanks!”
HEAT. Don’t get me started on heat and its effects on the older population! Resilient creatures as they are, chickens (young and old) find innovative ways to keep cool in overwhelming temperatures. Unable to sweat like us humans or swim in the sandpit like the ducks.. they find shade, breathe heaving through widened beaks and drop their wings to allow cool air to circulate among their feathers. Another thing – they drink A LOT of water. There was a rather magical moment last week in the peak of the afternoon’s temperatures – I filled up the various iron water troughs (actually for sale if anyone’s interested!) Proceeding to sit nearby, I experienced the Chicken Corner equivalent to a Saharan safari adventure. Around the ‘waterhole’, all manner of creatures came to drink, and others joined to see what all the hullabaloo was about.. (a slow hullabaloo obviously due to the heat)..
So no, we here at Chicken Corner do not fear age but embrace it, as natural deteriorations spark new survival reactions. These matriarchs are the foundations of our community and proudly represent the longevity and constancy in the (4-apple tree) orchard.
Stick to the shade and stay safe!
Bye, Chicks x
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