Second Chances

As a kid, I remember going to the local chicken farm to buy our hens. We would arrive and pay the farmer $1 for each chicken, he would go into his massive chicken sheds and come out laden with chickens hanging upside down from each hand. They were pitiful looking things. Half their feathers were missing, their necks were rubbed raw from popping their heads in and out of a cage to eat and drink, eyes were dull, they were almost lifeless. We didn't go there for the quality of the livestock, we went there because it was all we could afford. Yet out of this unfortunate situation something amazing happened. After only a few weeks of exposure to fresh air, sunlight, with grass and bugs to eat, the healing started to happen. Their feathers came back big and bright, they were more active and loved scratching around the yard for worms and bugs. At one point I remember buying a rooster and some of these chickens even had little chicks of their own.

Now with my new chicken tractor ready to go, I went to our local weekend markets to buy some chickens.

I was hoping to find a dual purpose breed of chicken that would lay eggs and also be suitable for meat in a few years. Whilst the quality of the chickens were amazing, I just found the $30 to $40 dollar price tag each too expensive.

Then just outside the market I found a man selling some chickens that were in a sorry, yet familiar, looking state.

I asked the seller where they came from, although I already knew the answer. He confirmed he had bought them from a confinement egg farm who were about to sell them for pet food as they had just turned 18 months old.

I bought two for $5 dollars each.

While I didn't intend on revisiting the buying strategy of my youth, I had the opportunity to give them a better life. These chickens are already laying eggs and still have a lot of egg laying left in them, they were well within my price range and just like all the parts that make up their home, they deserve a second chance.

As I put them into their new home, I couldn't help but feel a little sorry for them. They were rather mangy looking and had quite a few feathers missing. One was so quiet, it was as if she had simply given up.

Their combs were so pale, and their nails very long. Chickens that are able to scratch and eat grass and bugs naturally file down their nails ... this poor girl hasn't done much of that. When her feet touched the grass, she seemed a little uneasy - I truly believe both chickens didn't actually know what grass was. It took a while, but after a few tentative pecks, I could see they were already developing a taste for it!

My wife named one Itchy and the other Scratchy. Well let's hope they take inspiration form these names and itch and scratch in the earth and find their way to good health.

I know the healing magic of nature will bring these girls back and I'm going to keep and share a careful record of how they go. Here's to second chances!