The Scribbling of an unacknowledged writer: Why I was late for Forestry - or

It's true! After years, and years, of asking, I finally have a chicken!!

Meet Chelsey the Chicken

The coolest thing about getting her is actually HOW we got her.

My mom and I were on our way to a 4-H forestry meeting, and we were driving down a very busy road when suddenly I saw a blob of black feathers in the median. As we passed said blob I realized that it is in fact a lone chicken, braving the wild world and whizzing cars in search of adventure.

Okay, so maybe she wasn't in searching for adventure, but she was in danger of being hit by a car if she decided to venture off the median. My mother, after she translated the frantic sounds that cam out of my mouth into English, executed a probably illegal u-turn and pulled the van to a stop on one side of the median.

I feared the the chicken would become afraid of us and run into the the oncoming traffic, so I jumped out of the van and positioned myself on her other side, pinning her between the van and myself.

While I did that, my mother opened the doors on that side of the van in search of a t-shirt or something to help catch this intrepid chicken. while she searched, I began herding the chicken towards the van.

Right about then some lady pulled up behind us, also interested in the adventures of this wayfaring chicken, "Watch his' spurs!" she warned, apparently our chicken was a rooster.

As she and my mother stood on the sidelines and watched, I herded the rooster closer to the van, thinking that I could pin him in and grab him.

Lo and behold, the chicken strutted up to the van and hopped right in, claiming the middle seat as his throne from which he would rule over his domain.

Already late for forestry, we jumped in the car and continued on our way with much laughter and giggling as we fully realized how odd the situation was. I decided his name was Ferdinand.

After forestry, we called my little sister (who had stayed at home and missed all the excitement), and had her ready a dog cage in which to put the chicken.

We drove by the house and put the Ferdinand in the cage, then the cage in the car and drove with him, to archery practice.

A while later, I had just strung and drawn an arrow when I heard an odd *plop* sound from the direction of the Ferdinand's cage. I loosed the arrow and then went in search of the source of the noise.

I found it. In the cage was a small, light tan egg!

I guess I need a different name!

Of course, I still needed dad's permission, and I still need a coop, and food, and such, but she's staying.

And thus, Chelsey the Chicken became a member of our household.

At the moment she is staying in the dog cage at night, and free ranging (under supervision) during the day.

Chelsey in the dog cage. 1st day we had her.

She also, so far, gets along well enough our dog, Sadie, that I am comfortable with them being around each other. The cat however thinks Chelsey is a very large mouse, and would try to eat her if given the chance.