Intricate Dance

Richard came in this afternoon and said that we were just about to lose a Chicken.  At the time, our thermometer on the furnace showed the outdoor temperature at 105 degrees in the shade.  Later in the evening, WeatherUnderground showed we had 106 degrees.  Gee whiz.

We all went outside.  Melanie was already there.  I have to say that much of this is second nature with Richard, who grew up on a Farm in these parts.  Melanie is kind of the "chicken mother", so she was on alert.  Me?  I am a city girl who has recently moved to the Farm.  I just didn't think about it "front and center".  At least, not right away. That is shifting.  Of course, these conditions are unusually harsh and unforgiving. 

Richard has been running water underneath the Apple Tree.  This has 2 purposes:  it waters the tree and it keeps the space a little cooler for the Chickens.  They love it.  The Apples seem to like it too.

We gathered around Violet, the Delaware Henny who was struggling.  Richard liberally put cool water on her.  Melanie was putting her feet in the bucket of cooler water.  I noted that she was partially in the Sun.  We moved so that she could be a little more shaded.  Over time, she began to perk up a little.  Melanie began giving her water to drink.  This evening, believe it or not, she seemed fine, for which we were very grateful.  The little Henny was just about a "goner".

It sure is not easy street out here on the Farm.  Ask the Chickens.  And the Farmers too.   It's interesting how this weather just really has shifted everything and fast.  When you buy food at the store, you miss the drama and the intricate dance of all things with the Mother Earth.  And Dear Grocery Shopper, you might miss the dance, but you are part of it too.