Feeding the Parenting Instinct

Even When you Aren't a "Parent"

Last week, I stood at the stove preparing dinner. The kitchen windows provide a clear view of our hen coop.

A quick note on hens (something I did not realize before we added them to our homesteading venture): they are prey to just about every wild animal (except for deer) that are native to Connecticut. Hawk, weasels, fisher cats, and wolves, roam our backyard. Another note on hens: they are excellent at recognizing danger, and are quick to alert us by loudly, as a group, squawking.

As I prepared dinner, the squawking began. Peering out the window, I noticed something sitting just behind the chicken coop. A rock? No, how could a rock roll itself up to the edge of the coop? A pile of leaves? Maybe - but it looked unmoving, and leaves blow in the wind. Turning off the stove, it was time to investigate.

The moment I opened the door leading to the coop, I saw what it was: a hawk, standing on the ground, its beak poking into the coop. The chickens stood on the opposite end of the coop. The hawk sat there, stately, and quite handsome, if I’m being honest.