Pien, the "plof"hen

(de Nederlandse versie van het verhaal van Pien is hier te lezen)





"A while ago I was in the bird rescue center  to bring them a wounded finch, when my eye fell on a nice, white and especially very big hen. She was brought to the shelter about three months ago as a little chick. She was found in a residential area. Why and how she was there was a mistery and the owner remained unknown. With her in the aviary, it was a coming and going of chickens that soon found another home. But she stayed behind.

Shall I do it or not? My six mixed bantam chickens are doing so well and now I am getting another one. Who knows what diseases she may bring ... And how long will she live? It is a broiler chicken after all. They get too heavy for their legs and usually don't live for very long.

Doubts, many doubts. But that  nice, white and large hen kept playing through my thoughts ...

Meanwhile, Pien, for that is the name of this beautiful white lady, walks around in my garden for two weeks now and I can only say that I am happy with the choice I made. She differs not only in size from the rest of my chickens, but also in character.

With Dorus, the smallest of the bunch, I have a real bond, but Pien ... With her small, short wings and large, thick legs swirling under her huge body, she comes running towards me whenever she sees me. She stops with an emergency stop or trips over a pebble and thus comes to a halt. It is a very double feeling: on the one hand, it's funny to see how she comes running to me, on the other hand, it's obvious that she can only just carry her weight on those little legs.

After a while foraging through the garden, she is really tired and has to lie down. She would like to go on but she can't. Her body is too heavy. Her legs are not strong enough.

How long Pien will live I do not know. What I do know is that she'll have a good life with me as long as it lasts and that I enjoy having another wonderful chicken. A chicken, always ready for a little chat. A chicken that picks at my clothes to attract attention if she feels she needs  more or if she wants more food. Of course I can put her on a strict diet and begrudge her those few mealworms. Perhaps then she would  live a little longer.

But no, Pien eats along with the rest and we'll see how long she will stay with me. At least day after day I am enjoying having this wonderful chicken following me through my garden:  Pien, the "plof"hen...."