Tonight, almost as one, the hens slowly make their way towards their own respective hen houses The cockerels stand tall around around the doorways, standing sentry, and they growl periodically as the shadows of barn owls whip silently above the gravestones
As each cockerel growls, his own group of hens stand erect and still (below) as they ready themselves for danger, then slowly,as they realise that they are safe, they stalk sedately, in single file to their coop sleeping positions.
Kate Winslett, the buff mother(top pic), clucks tiredly and leads her 6 chicks into their broody box where they bicker and cheep over the best positions for the night, and from the neighbouring single coop, Blanche gives me a reassuring snipe as she sits tight on her remaining egg and tiny yellow chick.
In the far hen house Scotty, waits for his five hens to come in from the field, and with him waits Halleh, who has adopted the big buff cockerel's house as his new home. After the massive buff tip toes his way through the door, the duck meekly follows, and all settle down on their bed of sawdust, in one large warm tangle of wings and beaks.
They are the last animals to settle. The pigs have been asleep for over an hour already (they had a huge feed from the grieving family who visited them earlier, and the ducks and turkeys, (both groups still chattering quietly amongst themselves) had been put to bed earlier before the light changed.
I love the time that follows the shutting of the last coop door. With only the wild eyed Albert for company I stand in the cool of the evening and smell the grass and scents of the hedges and last vestiges of honeysuckle and rose as he chases unseen mice and moths.
The animals are settled and safe, and the field is still and dark.
I slowly return to the cottage to walk the dogs
This is exactly how it is at my house on the other side of the world. This must be perfection, John, no doubt about it!
ReplyDelete