Joanna the Chicken Watches TV

First, let's dispel some myths. Chickens are not filthy animals, no dirtier than any other creature, unless they are forced to live in filthy conditions, that is. Our chickens live in a clean (meaning regularly maintained) environment. They don't harbor mites, lice or any other such pests, because we dust for them, and we use food-grade DE in their coop to keep pests at bay (or at a minimum).

Yes, they poo, but Joanna sat on a bunch of paper towels while she roosted on my lap, and was therefore not walking around the house poo-ing at will on any and all surfaces. I'm pro-cleanliness, so that is a no-no in my book.

So Joanna is no worse in terms of her overall hygiene than a cat, dog or other large bird such as a parrot (aside from the fact that she is not house-trained). She is also on the low end of the pecking order in the coop. As I was feeding yesterday, I observed how she stands alone on her part of the roost and how easily the others are able to make her move off. Joanna is an unusually sweet, quiet and gentle chicken who, from babyhood, has always sought human interaction. She will squat, spread her wings and make a soft trilling sound when either I or DH lightly rub her back.

Having always had a bit of a soft spot for the underdog (or, in this case, chicken) I decided to bring her in, play with her for a while and let her have some time away from the hierarchy of the coop.

Joanna spent about an hour inside, contentedly snuggled up on my lap on her paper towel barrier, eating and watching TV. We watched a BBC period drama set in Victorian England, and she seemed especially fascinated when she heard birds chirping in the background.

Evening fell, and once again it was time for Joanna to return to her flock. I made sure the other chickens were not able to peck at her as she re-entered the coop, then placed her on the roost, wished the girls sweet dreams, and turned out the light.

Everyone needs a break once in awhile.