One of the best things about getting chooks again is telling Anthony the stories that go with the chooks. He gets a real kick out of my ineptitude.
A couple of days ago I picked up another couple of chooks from some serious breeders who go by the name of Chookloop. As soon as I got home, I put them in the chookpen with the other four but they’re a bit smaller so the big ones started pecking them and one of them was smart enough to figure out how to get out of the chookpen – argh (it took me ages to catch her).
So I brought them inside and put them in a box on the back veranda with some food and water. But, as soon as I turned my back, the smart one flew out and followed me into the kitchen where she hid behind the fridge until I was able to ease her out with a fly-swat (another hour).
I ended up putting them outside the back door in an upside down laundry basket which is where they spent their first night. The next morning, I went out to replace their water and, as I was doing so, the smart one got out, so I let the not-so-smart one out as well. They had a wonderful time frolicking under the fig tree. It was only when I attempted to catch them and put them back under the laundry basket that I realised I might need yet another set of ages/hours.
Notsosmarty was relatively easy to grab, but Smarty eluded me for well over an hour. I finally had to give up being gentle and simply threw myself into the shrubbery under the fig tree in a kind of football tackle which left us both muddy and disgruntled. I gave her a little cuddle, she pooped on me, and a friendship was born.
Since then, they have both spent a couple of nights in the ground cage we raised the guinnea fowl and peafowl in eons ago. I’ve placed this inside the chookyard so that the other chooks can get used to them without being able to peck them. They are also protected from crows, but they do look a bit miserable this morning because it is so cold and wet.
It is great to be able to answer the dreaded question, “So, what have you been up to lately?” with, “I have some new chooks!” instead of my usual, faltering, “Oh, this and that.”
It’s quite refreshing, too, to be able to give Anthony some new news and, as he has always loved chooks, it is a mutually enjoyable topic of conversation. What I like most about this is that the new chooks, despite reminding us both of previous chooks (and even chooks Anthony may have cared for as a child), are a fresh addition to the conversations we have in the cozy world of his nursing home room.
Okay, a bit of dialogue:
Anthony (referring to ‘my hero’ of yesterday’s post after she popped in with his clean laundry): That’s the girl, right?
Me: Yes – she is wonderful.
Anthony: And she’s on our side isn’t she.
Me: Of course!
Anthony: Your hair needs combing (oh why is this such a preoccupation with him?)
Me: Why the hell are you so obsessed with my hair? It’s windy outside, and raining. I’ve battled a storm to come and see you and all you can do is criticise my hair! I’ll have you know this is the best cut and colour I’ve ever had and I adore my hair-dresser.
Anthony: Give me a comb.
Me: What? Why?
Anthony: I can fix you. You’re still a spring chicken.
Hence the title of this post which, remarkably, ties in with the chook thing – ha!
PS. After Anthony combed my hair, I ruffled it up a bit and he smiled the benevolent smile of a chook-owner.
jmgoyder 
You can tell Anthony that, at first glance, a silly blogger thought the chooks (in the first photo) were grey rocks. 🙂
lol…I thought they were mushrooms!!
Julie, you are certainly widening my horizons, i had to look up the word “chooks” only to oearn that it was an Australian word for chicken! We used to get baby chicks (one day old) delivered by the mailman in a box with holes in it. We kept them unthil they were ready to eat (the white ones) or ready to lay eggs — the fancier ones like Rhode Island Reds and others. We only had chickens a few years when we had acerage and we have missed them ever since! I sure enjoy your posts, and am learning q new language at the same time!
Glad you had pictures Julie as I had no idea what a chook was! ❤
Diana xo
Sounds like fowl play to me! Glad to hear you are having fun with your feathered friends. 🙂
was going to comment on the previous post – lovely to be able to praise a heroine, love to see the hens- may you long enjoy them
Glad those benighted chooks serve a useful purpose.
Chooks……..Rooster Comb………Wife Comb……..Methinks Anthony is working up to a Love of Combs again 😀
I thought I knew that chooks are chickens, but I had to look it up. I love it when you talk Australian! Now, here’s a question. When you make the sound a chicken makes, do you say “cluck, cluck,” like we do? Or do you, perhaps, say, “chook, chook”?
Adorable…as are you and Ants. xxxxx
I don’t know a chook from a non chook. But I hope their names stay ! And I like that Anthony has a preference for your hair. And he knows how to fix it when it’s broke. 🙂
I always enjoy your adventures with the livestock. I hope that the new arrivals get integrated soon.
You and I have the same issues with hair apparently, my husband tries to tame mine as well, they are a gaggle of silly geese, the two of them I tell you lol.
What a hilarious (not to you likely) day you had… ‘here a chook, there a chook, everywhere chook chook’… ha! Diane
Fun. 🙂 You should have taken a picture of his work.
He still knows you are the best looking chick around. that is so awesome that he wanted to comb your hair and keep you beautiful. Lucky you, I love to have my hair brushed
So, I ask myself , which chook is going to become her pet? And although he seems to comment on your hair a lot, isn’t it great that he can comb it?
Love the end of your chooky day.
You are a spring chicken! Nobody else would have outsmarted and outrun the smart one 🙂 This was hilarious reading, Julie! No wonder Anthony likes these stories.
ah! Anthony knows you the best and you are still his spring chicken. How wonderful! 🙂
The image of you chasing the birds about the yard and throwing yourself into the shrubbery had me laughing out loud! I don’t think I could’ve done so without serious injury to myself. LOL
how delightful that you and anthony are back in the bird business!! i love that you have the tenacity to dive for that bird. angie does the swoop and grab to get our old girl (cat) out from under our bed. she always looks quite pleased and ling (the cat) looks as though she tolerates her for our sake:) it gives us all something to chat about and a good laugh! you are one tough spring chicken. if only you would comb your hair!:)