I have a cool story for you. I have a little white chook, and for the sake of the story let’s call her Romilda….(means brave little maiden)
Romilda is one of many, many chickens I have owned, and freed from the horrendous conditions of a battery farm. (You wanna get behind a worthwhile cause, help rid the world of these torture chambers!)
I’m going to say 99% of those freed ladies have adapted to our yard, happy to get safely tucked away in their coop at night, ecstatic to just graze the grass, eat the worms, frolic in dirt baths during the day, and generally just bask in the sunshine, literally and figuratively of their new found freedom.
Happy, happy ladies, living their lives. Not Romilda, oh no, she wants way more from her life, she has no interest in following the crowd, towing the line, fitting in, being told how she should live, oh no, no, no, not at all.
You see Romilda is a free spirit warrior chicken, she rolls with her own punches, she beats her own drum, thank you very much. She defies death, injury, fear, worry, shame, guilt and judgement. Yes, she does what she wants with her life, end of story!
Let me give you a little background on Romilda, she was one of our first three ladies, the smallest too, she has outlived about twelve other ladies (caged girls tend to have illness and injuries that shorten their already short life, from being cramped, stressed, and generally not being able to chicken as chicken should, eating literal crap!) Romilda is currently six years old, rather impressive.
Romilda has escaped the jaws and claws of snakes, dogs, cats, cars and humans. She has taken sanctuary, or claimed ownership in neighbouring mango trees, (I’m talking metres high up on branches) backyards, gardens and wherever takes her fancy. This extreme chicken can scale six foot fence with ease.
Romilda’s mates are the local bush turkey gangs in our area, they are a tight little pack and she is boss! Her loves are the blueberries, corn and grains she waits patiently at the back door for every morning, unless I am too slow, in which case she will crow like a roster, so I best get her food to her on time.
Romilda will come in the house at any opportunity and sit on the lounge, roam the house for bugs, hang out with our cat, rabbit and dog, and be part of the family, on her terms and when she feels like it of course, oh, and she is the boss with these animal friends too. Romilda shows us her love and appreciation by laying an egg every single day, remarkable considering. She is one healthy chook.
What Romilda will not tolerate, apart from receiving her food late, is being cooped up, locked up, or anywhere she feels trapped. She will escape, crow, and create all kinds of hell until she is freed. She is wild, she is a complete free spirit, nothing will stop her. She would rather die than be contained.
Romilda also has taken a fancy to climbing down the bank of our back yard to the lush, worm infested greens, untouched by the feet of man, her new found beloved sanctuary. However this haven is also a path on an extremely busy road. With certain death merely inches away.
Is she afraid? Will she stop? Can I stop her? Will I stop her? No, no, no and no!
Do I love and admire the hell out of this brave warrior maiden, hell yes I do! Will I be sad if something or someone snatches her life? I will be sad because I will miss her, but sad for her? Hell no!
She says no, to risk free, ho hum mediocrity. She likes to live on the edge, a no risk, no reward kinda gal.
You see Romilda would rather live her very best, biggest, fullest, adventure filled, fearless, happy, joyful life, shunning the judgement and opinions of passers by, perhaps ones that could learn a life lesson or two from our brave warrior maiden Romilda!
Romilda is wild, free, happy, strong, spirited, nourished, loved, empowered and making every minute, of every freaking day count!
Are you?
Something to think about anyway.
Hope you have a spirited, adventure filled day!
Stay well & ever grateful.
Megs x
#chickensarebetterthanpeople
#schooledbyachicken
