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| Best Buddies - Miss Chickapea & Sheldon |
They, of course, started out as two eggs...one brown and the other blue. When they hatched, I assume they were cute, little and fuzzy like all chickens. One was older and a female, the other a male came after the chickens had arrived at the farm. I don't know exactly how they ended up as student farm chickens but fate brought them to Mary, a budding chicken whisperer.
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| Araucana Peep |
The female, of the Araucana breed, was not like the rest of the group of chickens that had been dropped off at the student farm...she was, well, interesting, alert, she liked people, she loved to be photographed and hugged. Mary loved her knowing that as a farmer it is not a good idea to love your farm animals. She couldn't help it. Miss Chickapea, as the chicken was named, wouldn't let her think of her as just a 'normal, run 'o the mill chicken". No sir, she was somethin' special. Mary couldn't get away from her, she followed her everywhere begging to be loved. So, Mary did. Whenever Mary was at the farm Miss Chickapea had special allowances like being outside the pen, riding in her arms or being kissed. She particularly liked that. The other chickens clucked and fussed about being left inside the fence but like normal flock chickens they just ran around complaining, doing nothing to distinguish themselves. They had to stay in the pen.
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| Jerry |
The student farmers made a nice pen for them, covering it with bird netting to protect against predators and then put a solar electric fence up. Covering the pen with a tarp meant it was cooler in the run during the summer. The students and Mary were good chicken farmers. They built a roosting box and got a proud, handsome, bold rooster...a Rhode Island Red, they named Jerry. He was a good protector of his small flock of 10 or so chickens and strutted up and down watching his "girls".
Soon, another chicken joined the group. It was another male, who Mary named Sheldon. He was a tiny, little thing, a Bantam Rhode Island Red. He was a chicken with an attitude. Like Miss Chickapea, he was unique. He was small, he was feisty, he was proud of his black, green glossy tail feathers. He was a cuddle bug.
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Proud Sheldon
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He learned to sit on Mary's shoulder...well pretty much on anyone's shoulder or head until you made him get down. He liked to sit on my grand daughter, Kiah's head. He was funny! He was an escape artist and once got out of the pen somehow. He, finally, appeared again by flying from a tree which grew along the barn road. Mary, was not amused. But, like the big-hearted, tiny giant he was, he just went back to being happy-go-lucky Sheldon, like it was no big deal.
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Miss Chickapea looking at the
camera instead of at who was talking. |
Over the next year, Miss Chickapea and Sheldon became the stars of the Purdue Student farm showing up in PR videos and on media spots highlighting the great stuff that was going on at the farm. Mary and a handful of like-minded students had taken on the Dean of Agriculture and worked with him to create this small farming program. Sheldon and Miss Chickapea were outstanding examples of animals that could be used as PR reps and teaching props throughout the community...ambassadors for the farm. Watch until the end, you'll see Mary and Miss Chickapea, Purdue Newsroom - Students experience agriculture, business, research at their farm and here is another example, Purdue Today - Student-run farm to offer learning, teaching, research opportunities .
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Family visiting the Chickens before Graduation
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They were more than just chickens...they were rock stars amongst Mary's family too as we ALL had to go visit them whenever we were there in Lafayette, IN. We asked about them whenever we called. Working their way into every one's heart, those two helped us to understand that life, intelligence and personality in ALL species are qualities unique and special to each individual and that when presented with a chance to really CONNECT personally with some animal (human or otherwise) it is always meaningful and special.
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| Sheldon & Mary |
It has taken me a while to write the ending to the story of Miss Chickapea and Sheldon because it has taken ME a while to process the fact that indeed their story ended both suddenly, terribly and too soon. Also, I kept thinking that maybe, with time, Sheldon might reappear, flying out of his tree like before, shaking off the attack with his giant attitude that he housed in his little body. Mary, of course would have scolded him for staying away so long while hugging and kissing him all over in relief. But, alas, I believe that Sheldon too probably succumbed to the attack and is with us no more.
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| Chicken Love |
Ok, by now you realize that something bad happened to our lovely, unique chicken friends and you are right. Due to a cascading bunch of decisions brought on by an injury inflicted upon Miss Chickapea, they were attacked and killed by SOMETHING. I believe it was the SOMETHING that took Bella, the duck away last year. I think its a fox, feral cat or a loose dog that has decided to roam the farm looking for easy food. After much thought, I believe it's the dog.
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| Woods beyond the chicken coop |
For a few days, due to Jerry's behavior and some odd noises from the woods beyond the chicken pen, there was a tiny ray of hope that Sheldon might have survived. His body was not found inside the cage like Miss Chickapea, just some feathers outside near the chicken coop. I think, like Mary does, that Sheldon, with his fierce attitude and protective nature towards Miss Chickapea, was fatally injured protecting Miss Chickapea. But, those of us that loved them will never know for sure what happened that night. All we know is that they are no longer around to amuse us, to show us what life is like through a chicken's eyes, or reflect the eternal 'intelligence' that nature shows us everyday.
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Me - Out & About
photo credit: Jim Davis |
And maybe I am exaggerating a little...I am a Naturalist, Environmental Educator and an organic gardener myself. I know that humanizing animals is not a good thing...animals are not humans and have specific behaviors and intelligence within species. Mary would be better able to tell you exactly how they affected her...but from the couple of times I met them and the happiness they brought my girl, I believe that there was something special going on there and only time will tell what lessons we learned from their short lives. I bet if you'd had the opportunity to look into their wise eyes and seen the eternal wisdom contained there, you would understand.
Rest in peace, memorable chicken friends...you will be missed by many.
The warm sun beat down upon my back as I looked up from planting. I wiped the salty sweat with a quick swipe as more gathered upon my brow. Deciding, somewhat spontaneously, to put in my garden after all was why I was standing in the hot June sun planting. My decision to not plant this year due to the constant fight with the deer and instead put my energy into walking long miles in the heat had not stood. I found the call of the dirt to be too strong. The need to feel the dark earth, warm and moist, nay to fondle it, caress it like a lover, was too strong. Plus, I just love going to the nursery and buying really past prime plants and making them grow. 
For some reason, I wanted to try cantaloupe. Gosh, Vera, its JULY! Ever the optimist, I figure I have as good a chance as any having them give me 'lopes before the snow flies!! Plus, I'll be really proud if they grow, I've never grown cantaloupe, successfully, before. Also, into the dark, dry earth went 2 Cucumbers, 4 Flowering Kale (can you eat them?) and some Basil. I'd planted some up on the porch earlier from seed and the danged Chipmunks ate all but 1. These do not look like basil though so guess I'll see what they end up becoming! Oh, I also put in Chocolate Peppers! What the heck?!
That easy, summer camaraderie of the garden is why I love working the earth. We all live by what nature brings our way. We have the same enemies...deer, rodents, bugs and hail. Advice is as freely shared as is an extra package of plants because we all know that being able to raise your own food is something to be proud of and not everyone has the guts or the determination to stick it out. Its fun being a member of the Order of the Perpetually Dirty Fingernails. 
