It has been a while now since Sunshine passed away. Slowly but surely I see Oyster Cracker getting along better as each day passes. For some time there, I wondered if she was going to be okay after the loss of her sister. But sure enough it seems to have gotten easier.
She is perky again, well as perky as you can be for a six year old hen. She goes about the coop and run slowly and deliberately and she is still the biggest girl in the lot. She sleeps next to Fifi at night- our last little Silkie. I think it is so darling to see a black wee Silkie and a huge buff colored beauty snuggled in close together on the roost. They both take the far right side of the roost early. They are long settled in for the evening prior to the younger ladies who like to cluck and finagle their ways into just the right spot about a half hour later.
Earlier this week, my heart almost leapt out of my chest with joy. Oyster Cracker has found another close little friend. In this case it is another bantam- Panko- a Buff Brahma. As I went out to bring the girls a mid-afternoon snack and hope that I would find eggs in the nesting boxes ( They’re still molting!), I found the two of them dug deep into the favorite dust bathing hole.
There they both were, fitting together like some sort of jig saw puzzle, completely boneless and working in perfect harmony to dust themselves and preen one another. It was such a site for sore eyes. I think I felt the little hole in my heart begin to heal.
It’s amazing how these fluffy butts work their way into our minds, hearts and days. I never thought that I would love these chickens, but I do and it’s times like this when I can feel that they too experience emotions. Of course, who knows how deeply they feel but I do think that their feelings can sometimes preoccupy or consume their thoughts as I know losses do for me.
The journey of life ebbs and flows each and everyday. It’s important to try and catch these moments and not lose track of what is truly important as we head into the holidays. Just like Oyster Cracker, we have to be thankful for the “little” things in life. Even if they are bantams.
Photo Credit: Tilly’s Nest
2 thoughts on “Tiny Chickens and Full Hearts”
I love your blog! Thank you for posting these beautiful stories. My family and I recently started raising backyard
chickens for the beautiful nutritious eggs. To my surprise
we have all fallen in love with them. We love to watch them interact with one another. One of our Silkie’s went Broody and all three eggs hatched. It was amazing to watch her transform from a scared little hen to a
protective mother hen.
I am so glad you are enjoying the blog and your flock! I too felt the same. Chickens are so amazing and we absolutely love what they have added to our lives. Congrats to your Silkie Mama!