It Took A chicken
After nearly 10 years, it happened.
Our beloved pet chicken passed away.
Her name was Georgia, and she was the last of our brood of five.
And in true pet-owner fashion, we fell in love with her.
She was:
Stealthy
Curious
Vocal
Cautiously Friendly
Adorable
She made the cutest little chicken sounds whenever she saw us and would come up to the door several times a day to peck on it and beg for oats (bottom, right photo).
She also loved our neighbor’s porch and would often hang out under a chair (bottom left photo) or even wander into the garage.
Obviously, she was adored by all of the neighbors and was a hit with kids!
So what does a chicken have to do with anything?
Well… Georgia taught me things.
Specifically, things about humanity and connection.
BC (before chickens) I hadn’t thought much about how nontraditional pets might have strong personality traits.
Cats and dogs, sure–but chickens?
It turns out chickens do have personalities!
All five of our chickens had differing personalities with traits like large and in charge, rule follower, friendly & outgoing, forever cautious, and quirky with a touch of anxiety.
And just like people, chickens have roles, too.
And natural strengths.
- We had the leader (who always made sure everyone was accounted for and doing what she wanted)
- The adventurer (who was always motivated to find better food).
- The friendly one (who attracted neighbors and let kids pet her).
- The play-it-safe one who lead the group to bushes, shrubs, and cover (which happily is where the best berries and worms were!)
And when the roles would change (aka one died), others stepped up and filled in.
Because there were rules to follow (mostly dictated by the sun).
And at the end of the day, teamwork and sticking together were a huge advantage (because predators).
So when our fourth chicken died, we didn't think Georgia was long for this Earth.
But she kept on for another year.
And she thrived!
No longer did she need to fight for her food or a place to sleep. She could relax and take her time.
And so she did.
Georgia’s last year was filled with roaming the neighborhood, asking for oats, and hanging out with the family when we were outside.
She became more easy-going and relaxed and was much more social as a chicken than she had been in the past.
She evolved and grew into her new role with grace.
Her chicken friends turned into human friends.
And somehow she managed to dodge the predators.
And from a human connection standpoint, this makes me smile.
Humans are social beings.
We do well in groups.
We have survived as a species because of our ability to cooperatively communicate. A lot of our communication is done through nonverbals. Like Georgia pecking on the door or the chicken sounds she made to let us know she was nearby and happy. We need to work together and know we aren’t alone.
Understanding the interconnected web of life and our relationship with others (all species included!) is part of life’s gift and mystery.
And, for me, being reminded of our humanity, roles, connection, and why it all matters…
Well, it took a chicken.
Your co-pilot (who now gets all of the chicken references),
