Cherished Moments

By Linda Patton ~ July   15, 2015

I had a wonderful evening! The plan changed several times. After going back and forth, over and over, I finally said “That’s enough!” The home we had picked out for Waffles did not turn out to be in his best interest. I happened that another family wanted him very badly, but there was a catch – they didn’t have a car. After being strung along by the previous buyers, I decided that I just felt good about him going to live with the family that didn’t have a car. So my son and I loaded him up, and off we went.

He was so sweet, he laid his head on my shoulder while I carried him to the car, where a cage awaited. This boy was hatched in my chicken house under one of my hens and has never been off this property, much less in a vehicle. He looked nervous, and told me about it as I shut the cage door that waited in the back seat of the car on a tarp. You must also understand that this “boy,” although only 5 ½ months old is HUGE! I can barely get both my arms around him. He stood up and looked out the window, asking me what on earth we were doing. I comforted him the best I could and pulled out of the driveway.

       We would drive thirty miles to deliver him to his new home. On the way, we stopped to make a quick delivery at a friend’s. This family of friends has listened intently to every story I have ever told about my chickens. They ask about them when they see me, and they feel as if somehow they know them individually. However, they had never actually seen one in person.

       In retrospect, it might not have been the most accurate definition when I asked, “Haley, would you like to see my baby?” One by one, they visited the back seat of the car, which of course I left running for air conditioning purposes. One by one they gasped, “That’s not a baby. He is huge!” And my personal favorite, “That’s not a chicken, that’s a bear.”

       Waffles, a gray and white striped Standard Sized Cochin, his feet covered with beautiful feathers, his undercoat of fluff peeking out from under his slick gray feathers, making him softer than any teddy bear I have ever held, enticing you to snuggle your head on his neck for a nice long nap, his bright red wattles hanging half way down his chest, and his golden eyes sparkling as they take in every little detail of his surroundings, stood patiently waiting through each visitor.

       The stop took only minutes and we headed in the direction of the town still 15 miles away. Waffles was taking it all in, no longer upset. The music we turned on, may have had something to do with that. When I tried to turn it down, he would cackle from the back seat until I turned it back up. We pulled up in front of a meager home in need of some repair and a coat or two of paint, tall grass no doubt due to the quantity of nonstop rain we have been blessed with this year, and two dogs tied up out front. Only a few feet further, I noticed the chicken coop with a run full of the happiest hens I have ever seen. That would be his new home, his family, and more importantly – his wives!   

       We made our introductions and I passed him off into the arms of who would be his new farmer. He never once complained. I have no doubt that he knew better than I did how happy those hens were. And I am certain he could tell how much his new farmer already loved him. We were surrounded by such joy. The farmer explained to us that her chickens were spoiled. She stood out with them as they free ranged in case a predator should come along. She continued on to tell us that the dog closest to us, did not like people or other dogs, but those were his chickens, and he knew it. She told us how he would go in on occasion and lay down in the run while the chickens pecked at him or snuggled him. He loves it. How fun! Our dog Kaci has him trained for that, from the time his first feathers arrived, he shared her doghouse. All of our chickens do. Those are her chickens and she intends to take care of them. Waffles would be just fine.

       

       

        On the journey home, my son and I did some sight-seeing, stopped at a new grocery store along the way, and even stopped for a soda at a gas station. We said very little, as if each of us knew the other’s thoughts. I finally broke the ice, “This has been the happiest trip.” He agreed. Had it been the joy of the farmers that we visited, the happiness of the hens, the beautiful scenery, the short visit with friends, or would we ever know? We both understood plainly, this trip would be one of those times we remember forever. And for that, I am thankful. I love my son and cherish times like today when we share a common experience of joy.