Life Lessons from the Chickens is a daily occurrence on a farm. If you are brave enough to go to class, there is no telling what you will learn!
It’s a given routine – every morning, I head outside first thing to let the chickens out of the coop. The chickens get fed; the water gets changed and I check for any eggs that may have been laid overnight. Once all that is done, I often sit on the step and just watch them as they eat, maintain pecking order, drink, scratch, eat some more and crow a little.
A Fair Trade
One of my first life lessons from the chickens came as the result of a gift. A while back we got a Delaware Roo from a friend of ours. Ron was tired of hearing him crow at all hours of the day and night. It was either me take him, or the feathered guy was going to end up as dumplings.
Since I wanted something from Ron, I decided to make a trade. He would come lead singing at our small country church, and I would take the Roo.
We named him Don Juan, as he was a very big rooster, and very handsome with his primarily white feathers with a black trim. His red comb was highlighted by this coloring. All the girls seem to love him, so we thought the name was appropriate.
Until we noticed that Jack and Smooch, two of the tiniest Bantams we have in the yard, were able to intimidate the spurs off of Don. It’s terrible of me to laugh, but to see it is really a great source of amusement. I put it down to the Pecking Order Ritual and figured it would stop after a few days.
But it didn’t. A couple of months later, I realized that the Bantams were trying to prevent Don from eating. Now, I really don’t take kindly to bullying, and the Pecking Order should have been established a long time ago. So, I started hand-feeding Don. I would sit down on the steps with the bucket of scratch grain, dip out a scoop of feed and hold it out to him. He dove in with gusto.
Progress Made
The upside is that Don was finally getting his share to eat. The downside is that all the other chickens decided they wanted in on it. And then Jack spotted the action. It took all of two seconds for that tiny brat to make his way across the yard and push Don away from the scoop.
Some of the girls would jump up on my knees, both to avoid the confrontation and to get as much as they could before the boys came back. And then, Jack made the mistake of jumping up onto the side of the bucket and down into it to eat his fill. His attention was diverted, and his arch enemy carefully, with one watchful eye on the bucket, came back and started eating again.
Life Lessons from the Chickens
This has now become a morning ritual. As I sat there, it occurred to me that I was getting a life lesson from these crazy birds. I was amazed at all they have taught me over the years and find myself even more eager to get to ‘school’ in the mornings. Here are a few things I’m learning:
Bullying is wrong…
…regardless of the species. Life is so much more pleasant when we learn to get along, and we won’t lose as many feathers. And it’s one of the most valuable Life Lessons from the chickens.
I don’t bully, and I don’t stand for it in anyone else. We should do our best to applaud the differences in each and every person we meet. Always try to remember that God made all of us for His pleasure. If He finds pleasure in someone, then it is my goal to do it as well.
Fresh feed from the hand…
…is better than having to scratch in the dirt to get it. By simply watching, I learned one of the most important Life Lessons from the Chickens. I realized that I am just as eager to be fed from my Father’s hand, rather than having to scratch around and find my own food.
And I love sitting on His knee and being able to enjoy His gifts and have the protection from the meanness taking place on the ground.
Regardless of any passing storms…
…if you have a place to go, there is nothing to worry about. We can have a brutal night of thunder, lightning and heavy rains blow through, and the chickens seem to barely notice. If it’s during the day, they just head for protection in the coop or under the shade table.
If it’s at night, they just blink their eyes and go back to sleep, knowing they are protected. I have that same peace with my Protector, when life throws storms my way. It’s a comforting thing to learn, even if it is one of the Life Lessons from the chickens.
The early bird…
…doesn’t necessarily get the worm when there is a lot of competition. But at least you have a better chance than if you had stayed in bed all day.
I get up early and am often surprised at how much more I accomplish and how much more energy I have, than the days that I oversleep.
Just because…
…you are the smallest chicken in the yard doesn’t mean you can’t be powerful. You just have to use your size to the best of your ability. If you do, you can take down the biggest Roo in the coop.
I may be small, but I don’t let fear overtake me. I stand my ground, aim and shoot to kill. Whether it’s with a real gun aimed at a snake or with a figurative gun aimed at a problem, I have learned never to back down.
If you search hard enough…
…there is always a way to escape confinement. You may have to learn to climb or fly, or you may have to keep digging until the hole is big enough for you to fit under the fence, but where there is a will, there is definitely a way.
I always have a place of safety to run, in case of any storms, and that is under His wings. His wings are made of the toughest feathers you will find.
Feathers are a thing of beauty…
…but if you lose a few, just scratch around them and move on. Feathers usually grow back even more splendid than the ones you lose. They are usually stronger and more resilient as well.
I am forever spreading my wings when I start something new. I lose a lot of feathers, too, in the process. But it always amazes me when, as I am finally able to succeed, that those feathers have grown back, thicker, lusher and stronger than the ones I lost.
Life Lessons come from some of the strangest places. It is up to us to go to ‘school’ and learn everything we can. The Country Boy has a favorite saying: “If you aren’t paying attention, then you aren’t learning.” For me, this farm is a daily dose of education, and I try my best to learn all I can. And there is always something new every day. Even in the daily routine.
Where do you learn your Life Lessons? Please comment and let me know your favorite ‘classroom’, and what you learn by attending. Who knows? You may end up being one of my ‘Professors’. And there is no doubt I have a lot more to learn in life.
Hmmm…I wonder what the cows are teaching in their ‘class’ today?
