PeeWee and I

PeeWee

PeeWee was the tiniest, little thing among my first flock of six. She was always running under the wings of the others and would squeal when picked up. I took it as a stress scream so I would try not to pick her up often. However, I did not want her to be without any handling at all because I wanted her to be tame. Eventually she became less afraid and I was able to have her on my lap.

As a pullet, she would emerge every morning with a dropping on her head because she was tucked under someone else. Awww PeeWee, I had to clean her up because it was so sad to think of her running around all day looking this way. After Ducky went broody and hatched her babies, PeeWee grew up a bit and became more independent.

It was sad at first to watch PeeWee roam the yard alone. Her whole body seemed to communicate fear and sadness. Ducky had babies, Fuzztop had gone broody. It was just like watching a person find himself or herself each time she roamed. Every day she went further into the yard, alone for the first time, mumbling to herself while also seemingly in deep thought. It was hard not to want to pick her up and cradle her but I resisted. Off she went, dust bathing alone in corners of the yard never touched by hens before. It got to where she liked being out of the coop and not stuck with broody hens and annoying chicks.

One evening I put PeeWee back in the coop and turned to catch a wayward chick, closed the coop and went in for the night. It was 11pm, I was watching a movie with my husband when I felt the sudden and compelling urge to run out and check on the girls. As I approached the coop there seemed to be a towel lying next to it, only it was not a towel, it was PeeWee! I began to sob and picked up PeeWee who squealed and flapped her wings like crazy. I picked up the baby thinking something had gotten into the coop and this was the first of many bodies I would soon see. Oh no, I thought, she had been injured so I ran to the porch light and PeeWee was just fine, only scared.

I figured she had walked out that second I turned my back to get the chick. She had stayed out of the coop since 6pm that evening. My poor baby was locked out of her coop and we had gone out to eat, returned, and watched a movie. Anything could have made her dinner. I still feel emotional about it. PeeWee was snuggled up against the coop when I found her, poor thing.

After I could have lost PeeWee, it hit me why she was so special. I am PeeWee, teehee, to some extent! There is an inner PeeWee in me for sure. She embodies all there is about me that is fearful and nervous yet determined and courageous. It took PeeWee time but she explored the whole yard alone. Now she will even sleep in a nest all by herself. One thing I can learn from PeeWee is that she is patient with herself. The little thing is lucky too and so many times, I have failed to acknowledge how lucky I have been.

I love PeeWee. She is quiet and not as flashy as other babies I have written of at length but of all the chickens I have met thus far, I must say, PeeWee is I in chicken form.