Maud, our adorable little hen, is a wise old thing.
Maud is a “silkie” or negre soie hen.
She is usually the first out the henhouse–keen to get on with her day.
She sort of explodes out of the house, her little legs–in the cliched language so beloved and abused by politicians–hitting the ground running.
Lucette likes to arrange herself properly for the outside world; you never know who you might meet. Important to look your best at all times, especially so soon after the moulting season. The fact that on occasions she has the residue of a poo hanging off her behind is not her fault; there are no vanity mirrors in the henhouse.
Lucette is a “rumpless” hen–an Araucana–who is supposed to lay BLUE eggs–not that we’ve seen any.
This morning it was Lucette waiting on ground floor of their duplex, champing at the bit. Maud was sitting in the background showing no interest in getting out the door.
When our cats are feeling–as my mother used to say–poorly, they behave in the same way. They find a comfortable, warm, quiet spot and wait for the “annoyance” to pass.
Beau has just emerged from just such a time. He hurt himself while out doing his duty patrolling the grounds.
We don’t know if he got into a fight (he doesn’t take kindly to intruder cats) or missed a leap from branch to wall; whatever it was, it left him limping for a good month.
A home visit from an animal osteopath and some cat medication (glucosamine) helped his recovery but instinctively he knew it was a matter of time.
“Sit it out, old chum–it will pass.”
All–wise, old things.
So what was bugging Maud?
Had she spent the night on the razzle? Bad dreams of maurading foxes?
Maybe she let her “feathers” down and lit up the town–and was suffering the consequences.
One thing is sure, she wasn’t sitting on an egg–more’s the pity!
Whatever it was, it passed and by lunchtime when I checked the henhouse again, it was empty.
No Maud.
I found her under the old henhouse scratching around, reunited with her friend, getting back up to speed.
She’d done the animal thing and sat and waited for the “annoyance” to pass.
Next time I’m sick as a dog/cat/hen; I’m following Maud and sitting tight.
Robin Ellis 