A blog post by Josiah, the chicken-patrolling Yorkie
I’ve been very busy lately. The farm is in total chaos. We have chickens running everywhere. I did not authorize this activity!
The chickens and rooster are usually on the other side of the farm. Occasionally, they are outside their fence, but only for a little while, and they stick to their area.
It’s always entertaining to see them. I try to visit and say hello. They scoot away pretty quickly. Miss Janet tells me to stay clear of that rooster. He has sharp claws.
But now the chickens have moved to the back yard: my back yard. How did this happen? And why? No one asked me if it was okay. I am completely unprepared for this invasion.
Now I spend my morning running from window to window, trying to see what they are doing. Why can’t they stay in one place? Do they really have to take over the whole yard?
When we go outside, I have extra work to do now. I have to check out every place they’ve wandered and see what they’ve been up to. And they’re usually still out there during my backyard time. Sometimes digging in my clover patch, sometimes hiding under the porch, clucking at me.
And that rooster stands there and crows, as if he is the king of the yard. Doesn’t he get that it’s my yard? I’ve worked very hard to maintain the place, and he just prances right in and takes over.
I’ve tried to tell that rooster he can’t do that. But again, Miss Janet keeps me away from him. She says with those claws, an encounter wouldn’t go well for me. I think she is right. I’ve tried to sneak up behind him, but he doesn’t miss a thing. Wily old rooster.
Miss Janet says this is no big deal. It’s summer, so the chickens get to roam free all day if they want. I wasn’t here last summer, and no one told me about this crazy summer routine. I guess I can adapt. But it sure is a lot of extra work for me, being a farm sentry and all.
To give me a break, Miss Janet has been letting me walk in the big field away from the chickens. That’s exciting. So many new smells to explore. I usually need a nap after doing all that nose work.
Miss Janet says it’s actually a good thing that the chickens roam in the back yard. She says they eat ticks. That keeps those sneaky ticks from jumping on me. She’s right: that is a good thing.
I guess it’s okay that the tick-eating chickens are walking around the yard all day. They do provide a great public service.
But I still have to keep close watch on what’s happening in my territory. It’ll continue to be a busy summer for me.
Yips and squiggles,
Josiah
The Inquisitive Yorkie 