Yesterday was spent driving around the Kongu village, taking surveys of three village areas to follow-up on the mosquito net distribution of May 2012. At one hut, the wife of the family decided to gift us with a chicken.
As I stood under the shade of a tree, I watched as five children chased a bunch of chickens around for five minutes, trying to catch one …. it was a loud cacophony of noise as the flock of chickens, roosters, and baby chicks scattered all over in the chase!!! Finally, one chicken was caught and handed to me, its feet tied together. My friend and the others were surprised that I was not afraid of the chicken!! Being a farm girl at heart, I had no problem with carrying the chicken.
The men decided to put the chicken in the tire well of the spare tire that I carry in the back of my truck – the sand ladders (to help me get out of deep sand if I get stuck) were laid across and a plastic mat wrapped over to keep the chicken from escaping. Soon, we were on the road again and off to another hut. As I drove off I was thinking in my head “chicken in my tire well” …. it seemed like it should somehow be a song, but I couldn’t figure out a good tune, so it remained a thought.
As we were getting ready to leave the next grouping of huts, the father of the home decided to gift us a chicken as well … and again, I sat under a tree and watched the children of the family chase the chickens all over the area! The older man trying to help by waving his shepherd stick at the chicken whenever it ran in front of him! They almost succeeded as they herded a chicken into some bushes and all the children circled around, but the chicken won that battle as it escaped between their hands! Finally, a chicken was caught and soon joined the first – now, I’m thinking: “two chickens in a tire well – if I get another, I will have a chicken farm!”
We then proceeded to the next, and final, group of huts to complete the day’s work of surveying. As I finished my questions, the father of the home left the hut for a minute as my friend and I continued to chat with the other family members. Soon, I heard chickens squacking and children laughing – and I could see the children and chickens running circles around the hut!! Sure enough, chicken number three was under duress …. soon caught by laughing children and its legs tied up and deposited on the hut ground until we left.
As I drove back to city, I realized that my tire well had indeed become a chicken farm!!
2 comments:
Are these egg laying chickens or soon to be roasting chickens? I do not recommend eggs in the wheel well... although in the heat there it might be one way to cook dinner. Enjoy your blessing. I enjoyed reading it.10
Hey Di
Had the chickens come home with me, I either would have given them to my guards or it would have been a roasting chicken!
I left them with the village chief's son who was my guide for the day. He is keeping them for laying eggs, but sadly two have since died.
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