- Gardeners at Work
The barometer continues to fall and the weather forecast for Oysterville is ‘rain’ for the next five days. That probably means that my garden crew and I will be taking a break from our winterizing chores until next Tuesday. I am definitely a fair weather gardener and, though my crew doesn’t pay heed to the weather conditions, they are not reliable help without supervision. Actually, they aren’t reliable help under any circumstances. They are chickens, after all.
About the best that can be said of their work habits is that, as soon as I appear with my gardening tools, they gather around awaiting instructions. They don’t follow spoken suggestions or orders well, though. They like a clear non-verbal demonstration of the desired activity. Once I choose my spot and hunker down to an acceptable shortness, they hop right into the garden bed with gusto. And, by the time my digging fork pierces the soil, they are doing their peck-peck best to keep up with me.
It’s hard to train a chicken work force, but I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished thus far. My crew, which is seven strong, work well together. They don’t squabble over territory or vie for the boss’s attention. The older, more experienced of the group have begun to let the two novices work side-by-side with them. And, though the two ‘new girls,’ continue to keep a watchful and respectful distance, they, too, are pitching right in.
We all talk companionably to one another. I give them quiet words of encouragement and they cluck and squawk importantly. Occasionally, I pause to watch their progress and to try to determine what on earth (or better yet, what in earth) they are pecking at. I have no clue; whatever seeds or insects they are finding are too small for me to detect.
I sometimes idly speculate whether my crew has any curiosity about my own digging and hacking. Do they wonder what I’m extracting from the ground or which flower stalks I’m slashing and tossing into the wheelbarrow? Then I look at their little heads and speculate as to just how much brain power one can expect from a hen. That they give us eggs almost every day and waddle forth to help me do my garden chores seems more than enough! What a crew!
Oysterville is the sort of place where A.) one is allowed to have chickens (unlike Ilwaco) and B.) is so quiet that they can truly be “free range.” They may not be the brightest of creatures, but it must be nice to have them come clucking when you appear. Dogs are lovely, but they don’t lay eggs!