The man who sold us the chickens explained that we could let them roam in the field. "It's called free range!" he said with a smile. He said that chickens are omnivores and will eat anything. They scratch the ground and eat seeds, insects or even animals like lizards or worms. They live together as a flock and they have a pecking order as to who is boss. They also tend to nest together in a communal place rather than build individual nests.
He told us to place a box with some hay in a particular place they frequent, safe from any predators, and if we put one or two eggs there, they'll get the idea and they'll lay their eggs there.
He explained that in production farming on a large scale they have even taught the hens to lay their eggs straight into the boxes which are then taken to the shops. Originally, before they were domesticated, chickens used to lay their eggs everywhere. Even on the motorway if it was not for the heavy traffic. Which explains why the chicken crossed the road but never laid an egg there.
Anyway, we had our twelve chickens and we placed a large box with hay near their coop and we waited to collect the eggs.
Nothing ... following day ... nothing ... and so on it went ... nothing!
The man who sold us the chicken explained that the hens have a hierarchy structure, a pecking order. I should discover which one is the boss, the manager or trade union leader or whatever; and follow her. Maybe the hens were all laying their eggs in another place.
So early the following morning I did just that. I got up before dawn and observed the chickens eating happily together. I noticed one of them wander off alone. I followed her. She got to the edge of the field and got out. I followed. She crossed the road. I followed. She walked down the road. I followed ... and that's when I discovered she was selling the eggs to the local supermarket.
...smart chicken!
ReplyDeleteIndeed. I wonder how much money she made.
DeleteGod bless, Tom.
I knew my mama was smart. She kept them cooped up so they could not 'go' and sell the eggs. She probably knew you could not trust chickens!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for a good read, and I am thankful for the eggs the chicken sold to our grocery store!
From Florida the appendage of the USA!
Sherry & jack
I hope you enjoyed the fresh eggs for breakfast, Jack.
DeleteHave fun in Florida. I bet the weather is better than over here. It's freezing!
God bless you and Sherry.
Enterprising fowl! like Paul Harvey used to say, now we know the REST of the story!
ReplyDeleteYep ... I bet this chicken is now running a successful enterprise. Keep smiling, Mevely.
DeleteGod bless always.
That is one smart chicken!
ReplyDeleteSmart and she crossed the road safely!
ReplyDeleteGod bless, Kathy.
A smart business chicken!
ReplyDeleteYes, she had a good head for business.
DeleteGod bless, Bill.
Not your average chicken!! :)
ReplyDeleteDefinitely not. She fed her hens cocoa beans and they laid chocolate eggs.
DeleteGod bless, Happyone.
Dearest Victor,
ReplyDeleteYou had some smart-ass chicken in your coop!
Ours never sold their eggs... haha. Recalling vividly that at night we were cleaning them with a cloth and vinegar.
Then they got layered in those special carton things that fit inside a large wooden crate.
Dad had a cart behind his bike for bringing them to auction.
Hugs,
Mariette
You must have had a lot of chickens to take so many eggs to market. I'm sure it must have been fun, Mariette.
DeleteGod bless you.
Fun or not, we had to all help out... As a toddler while crawling around I ate chicken poop! 😉
DeleteWe helped our mom collect eggs once when we were really young. It did not go well.
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing better than fresh eggs for breakfast.
DeleteGod bless, Susan.
That's a very clever chicken!
ReplyDeleteMy mum kept chickens and other poultry, we enjoyed the eggs, but the birds were raised to be Christmas dinners. People would order them and mum would have them plucked and table ready on the specified day for them to pick up. My oldest daughter also has chickens, but only three now that her children are grown and have left home.
It must be great fun having chickens and looking after them. They make good pets as well as provide eggs. There are so many different breeds too. My favourite breed is KFC.
DeleteGod bless, River.
You should have at least got a cut from the supermarket!
ReplyDeleteI agree ... I got nothing. Not even a chocolate egg.
DeleteGod bless, JoeH.
That's one modern chicken!
ReplyDeleteYes, that's life, Mimi.
DeleteGod bless you.