Snowy House
Looking at the chicken coop this snowy February day, I commiserate with the chickens. Being cooped up is hard on all of us, animals and humans alike. I look outside and consider all the clothes and footwear I have to don in order to brave the cold and walk through the deep snow: boots, gaiters, coat, scarf, hat and gloves. Do I take the dog with me? With leash or without? Orange coat or not? Dog treats in my pocket. Sometimes I take the camera to catch those scenes lit up just right by morning or afternoon slanted sunlight.
Knee deep
Once outside, I take a deep breath and say to myself, “Yes, it’s worth it.” The biting air spurs me along, and Coco pulls me ahead eager to sniff invisible scents. Having a dog literally drags me outside several times a day. When I let her loose, her romps and racing express such joy that I have to laugh. I trudge through the 12″ of snow, and she bounds through it as if it were just air. We head up the road toward the studio. Once on the driveway, I remove the leash and she tears off into the woods or down to the meadow.
Looking up toward the Studio
Freedom! Her orange coat wraps her body not so much for warmth as visibility. When she disappears into the dark forest, I call for her and then see her under the pines tracking some critter. Soon she comes racing back to my upraised arms and cries of “Amazing dog, amazing dog!” I reward her return with a dog treat. The dog trainer said: “You have to be valuable so the dog will want to obey.” That translates to tasty dog treats, now a part of the grocery bill. Coco has yet to come back at the first call, but she eventually returns, knowing that she will be cheered and treated. We all love that kind of praise.
Coco up at the pond
Coming back into the house with eggs in hand is a lovely reward for our cold foray. The chickens always greet us with their clucking and chicken talk as we check on them each morning. I add food to the container, refill the water and give them a handful of dried mealworms along with yesterday’s vegetable peelings. Coco pushes her way into the coop to eat the droppings and grab a mouthful of chicken food. I shoo her out when she causes too much chicken fluttering, but they tolerate her well. If I let the chickens out on a sunny day, I have to keep Coco inside the house because she herds them back into the coop, and she is not always gentle.
Rockies, Buffs, Rhodies, Dotty and Eyeliner
They say that chickens are the gateway farm animals, but I have closed the gate to anything else. No goats, sheep, cows or a horse at this point. Too much work! By the time the cats and the dog are fed, watered, scooped and pooped, I have spent a fair bit of time on animal chores. I am working on my timing so that I have my tea and quiet time before they are needing attention. The chickens can wait until the sun is up and I am dressed for the outdoors. They seem to be forgiving about water and food and disruptions, but they complain by laying fewer eggs that day or the next. I get the message: chicken passive aggression.
George
Cleo
Animals are worth having. Their gentle eyes, voices, purrs, tail wags and soft fur and feathers make it all worth it. Add to that the eggs, the exercise and the laughter, and I’d say the relationships are worth the chores. I consider them a gift, almost a luxury, and I am thankful to be able to host them at my house.
Vermont Living 
