Little Red Hen – Sunday Morning 3/27/22

If you’d have told me that I’d be writing on this day about…  but wait!  Let me start at the beginning.

When I went down to let the girls out and give them their morning treat, I found Slutvana pacing back and forth along the inside of the chicken wire fence, as usual, clucking noisily: “You’re late!  You’re late! You’re late!”  Little Red Hen, on the other hand was just standing there, beak to fence — not moving, not blinking.  I opened the gate, threw some scratch into the Cypress Garden and off went Slutvana like a shot (as usual.)  Little Red Hen remained, beak to fence — not moving.

I went back to the treat bin and brought her some meal worms (just for her) asking what was the matter and how could I help.   She expressed no interest — not in the meal worms and not in my worried questions.  She didn’t move a muscle or ruffle a feather.  Was she  sick?  Was she missing Farmer Nyel?  As you know, it’s always hard to tell with chickens.

Little Red Hen and Farmer Nyel In Plummier Days

I talked to her for a while, trying to reassure her that Nyel is in a specially designed coop for Farmer people who don’t feel well and that he’s slowly getting better.  I told her maybe he’d even be home by the end of the week…  Still she didn’t move.

So then I did what any good Chicken Farmer’s wife would do… I called Nyel, explained the situation and asked if he would talk to Little Red Hen if I held the phone to her ear.  Which he did when I did.  And that’s the part that never in my wildest dreams would I have anticipated doing…

She did move her eye toward the phone.  Just once.  Then she went back into the land of Catatonia.  Did she hear her beloved Farmer?  I don’t know.  What is her status now?  Again… I don’t know.  I haven’t yet had the courage to go see. I do believe in miracles, even among chickens, and I am surely hoping for one now.  Stay tuned.