At the beginning of the week, before the New Year, we got several inches of heavy, wet snow. By late in the day it had pretty much stopped snowing. James would be coming home from work soon, so I shoveled the front porch and sidewalk and then made my way to the deck and out to the chicken coop. I timed it so that when I reached the Dashwoods they would be just about ready to be closed in the coop for the night.
Everything went as planned. When I made it out to the chicken garden I could hear the Dashwoods making their going to bed soon coos. Since the run is currently surrounded by opaque plastic (I wish I could use something other than plastic but there are currently no other options I am aware of) they can’t see me and I can’t see them. We can hear each other though, and as I shoveled I talked to them so they would know it was me and everything was okay.
I got to the run door, opened it and stepped inside. Elinor took one look at me, screamed, and scrambled in a panic up the ladder and into the coop. The other chickens weren’t quite sure what was happening but because of Elinor’s panic, they too, ran up the ladder and into the coop. I could hear them in there scrambling around. I turned on my flashlight and poked my head in the chicken-sized door at the top of the ladder.
Poor Elinor was running around trying to figure out what corner to cram herself into for safety. The others were still trying to figure out what was going on. I talked to them, saying their names, and told them there was nothing to be afraid off. But the panic did not subside.
I stood up and then realized what made Elinor scream. My hat!
Now I’ve made some questionable fashion choices in my life but none of them caused screaming. And my hat is pretty awesome if I do say so myself. It’s bright orange and my winter coat is purple, which makes a marvelous contrast. I have received compliments from strangers. The Dashwoods obviously are not fashion forward.Generally in winter when I see the chickens I am not wearing anything on my head. If I am, it’s the hood of my jacket pulled up. When I went out to shovel, the temperature was dropping and I put on my winter hat because the hood of my coat tends to get in the way when I am shoveling. The chickens have all seen me in a hat before, I wear one all summer long when I am in the garden. My garden hat is even close to the same shape as my winter hat only my garden hat is a dark, kind of washed out olive green color.
But chickens panic when something is not what they expect. We tried to give them a green cabbage once as a treat when there were no purple cabbages to be found, and they acted like we had just presented them with a deadly monster. No one screamed, but they all got as far away as they could and stood there giving it the side eye. No amount of persuasion could convince them to eat it. We did get them to eat it though by shredding it up, rendering it unrecognizable.
The Dashwoods expect to see me without anything on my head, with my jacket hood pulled up, or with a green hat. Orange hats are not expected.
I took the hat off and stuck my head back in the coop. It’s okay silly Dashwoods, I soothed, it’s just me. They were still upset but at least Elinor stopped trying to smash herself into a corner. I bid them good night, closed the coop door, locked the run door, and went inside my own house for the night.
I felt a little guilty, but not guilty enough to keep from laughing when I told James about it later. Nonetheless, the orange hat is not likely to reappear when I visit the Dashwoods.
What a good story! I’m glad it was just your hat that made the chickens scream. I’ve always said that I’m glad we had a rabbit for ten years and never heard him make a sound, because I’m told that rabbits can scream but only when frightened.
LikeLike
It still cracks me up 🙂 I’ve heard recordings of a rabbit scream and it is disturbing how that sound could come out of and otherwise quiet unassuming animal. Glad your rabbit never screamed!
LikeLike
So funny! Chickens are so silly. I am building a bigger, better run for mine, but haven’t gotten to the roof yet. It’s over 6 ft high so I just strung twine across to keep aerial predators out while I finish it up. A couple days ago I went in there to clean out their water dish; they’d kicked a bunch of leaves into it. I had a small stick with me to dig out the leaves; two of them completely panicked when I gently lifted leaves out of the water and one actually got herself up and over the walls, through the twine. Thankfully it was easy to get her back in (open the door, toss cracked corn!) but wow, such a panic over a stick!!
LikeLike
I love how silly they can be because they are silly with such aplomb. We’ve had a couple of fence flying incidents where we all end up panicking! A stick! 😀 Glad your was easy to get back in. Hope the expanded run building is going well!
LikeLike
That is – a scream. Your hat is lovely too. I had no idea that chickens were really so well – chicken!
LikeLike
Thanks! I do like my hat! They can be surprisingly brave when they should run for their loves and marvelously silly when there is no real threat whatsoever.
LikeLike
Such an interesting story. I have heard similar things with household pets but I think it is less common with cats and dogs because (I think) they have a better sense of smell.
LikeLike
Brian Joseph, you are right that chickens don’t have a good sense of smell. They are very visually oriented and their eyesight is phenomenal.
LikeLike
A funny story, but also an educational one. I learnt something new about chickens. I was also reminded that Elinor Dashwood is not as unflappable (no pun intended ) as we might think!
LikeLike
Hahaha Whisperinggums, no, even Elinor Dashwood gets her feathers in a ruffled now and then! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Brilliant.
I’m wondering if perhaps, given the colour, they saw the hat as the equivalent of rooster’s comb or something similar so that it looked threatening to them. Who can tell what goes on in the chicken’s head!
I think this is all to Elinor’s credit. Clearly she is a chicken of superior powers of perception.
LikeLike
Interesting Maggie, I had not thought about what the color might trigger, only that it was different. I don’t think I really want to know what goes on in their heads most of the time. 😀 LOL, Elinor is second in the pecking order and is always hyper-vigilant about everything. It’s a wonder she isn’t neurotic!
LikeLike
Very fun! I think they don’t like orange. They think it does not suit you. And they’re not really diplomatic about it.
LikeLike
LOL smithereens! I will have to test them with something else orange sometime 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s pretty funny. I guess it’s good for chickens to be cautious of novelty in some ways? Maybe you could leave your hat in view (but not pecking reach) for a while so they get used to it, and then try wearing it again? it sure looks comfy and warm!
LikeLike
The Dashwoods were out on the deck when I stepped outside with the hat to take that photo and not one even made a slightly worried noise. I should have put it on my head to see what reaction I’d get. I will have to wear the hat in front of them again sometime. They are definitely cautious of novelty which in many ways for them is a good survival skill.
LikeLike
LOL! This is a great movie scene, Stefanie! And you thought they’ve known you well by now that no matter the attire, you’re still you.
LikeLike
That would be a good movie scene Arti! LOL. I did indeed figure they would know me no matter what I wore, and they knew it was me outside their run since I was talking to them. So I was startled by Elinor’s scream as she was by my hat. 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love this story! Thanks for sharing.
LikeLike
Glad you enjoyed it Laila! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is too funny! And, for what it’s worth, I love your hat. It’s so bright.
LikeLike
Thanks Iliana! Glad you enjoyed the story! I love my hat. I tell everyone it is bright enough so they can find me if I fall into a snowbank 😀
LikeLike
Hah. And you judged it to be an awesome hat. Tsk tsk.
I’ve had a cat who made that kind of pronoucement on headgear too. Just, no…that was her verdict. Unvarying.
LikeLike
I think the Dashwoods just need to update their regency era fashion sense! 😀 Thankfully my cats have no opinion like yours did or I would really be in trouble!
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is hilarious for me as a human. Poor Elinor and chicken friends. Hope they’ve recovered!!
LikeLike
Heh, it still cracks me up Liz! They have all recovered and the orange hat has not terrorized them again 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person