I have noticed that the ewes sometimes stand at the chain link fence of the corner pen and look in on the chicks - especially Annabelle. I've thought perhaps chickens were something familiar to her and therefore comforting somehow, since the Chastains have free-range hens. Last night after I brought the girls in I noticed Annabelle standing there again, looking like the "chicken whisperer." As I watched, one of the Speckled Sussex girls reached through the fence and gently pecked at something in Annabelle's poll wool - and Annabelle wagged her tail in response! I find it strange and wonderful to have a sheep who loves chickens - and chickens who groom sheep.
I wish Tippy and Oreo would become buddies; they would certainly be warmer if they snuggled together like Sara's cats do.
Tippy likes to claim the sheep fold once I turn the girls out in the morning. Tonight it's cold and wet, and he begged to be allowed in the tack room. Since the litterbox is still in there, I went ahead and let him in and brought in his food and water dishes. He promptly curled up on a saddle pad. He doesn't have the fur or fat that Oreo has, so I suspect he IS cold. Poor kitty, he ended up in a "no housecat zone." Even though I've never had a housecat (my mom is allergic to cats) I could be tempted, but Rick has no such weakness. Tippy is a good soul and doesn't hold it against him. :-)That's it for now from . . .
11 comments:
Our chickens and sheep share the same field. Quite often the chickens jump up on the sheep's backs and are pecking bits out of the wool. I like to make a comment about there being nothing as nice as a pair of wool slippers:) In fact sometimes the chickens even eat the wool. One year the whole back end of our old lady April was plucked down to the skin. She looked really weird, as she had wool everywhere else but only a slight covering over the skin on a large patch (more than a square foot) above her tail. Never did figure out what it was all about, and it has never happened again with later flocks of hens.
I oh so look forward to reading your blog..Annabelle is a good girl looking after the chickens.. I think that was so cute reading the chicken plucked something off of Annabelle and she wagged her tail..
I love cats especially tuxedo ones. I used to have one called domino and he weighed 25 pounds. He was a load when he sat on my lap.. He died at a young age and I miss him.
Ta Ta For now from Iowa ~ cloudy and 32 degrees
We have 2 Toulouse geese that were raised in the pasture with the sheep and the geese are constantly grooming the sheep. I had a horned ram that thought he could challenge the gander once,he lost! It was one of the funniest things I've ever seen. He would back up and charge and as soon as the ram got in range, the gander would peck and peck at the rams nose, all the while flapping his wings wildly until the ram just plain gave up. Then the gander would be so proud of his victory, he'd chase the ram all the way up the hill, stand up there honking and flapping his wings in victory. Neither of them were hurt in the least, but it sure was entertaining for us. Between the geese and the llamas, not much bothers our sheep. (grin)
I let a stray cat into the house a couple of years ago (a matted, smelly young guy with no social skills, feline or human, I swear he was raised by muskrats. His one redeeming feature is he likes to walk around the block with the dogs and I late at night, much to the amusement of the neighbourhood I'm sure.) My old cats still hate him! For months I had to feed my old tuxedo cat on the top of the bookcase, and carry him downstairs to the litter box when the coast was clear. They have finally gotten to the point where they can all be in the same room, thankfully. Now that the nights are cold he is spending more time inside so the whole fur family is renegotiating sleeping space for winter. I'm considering a hammock for me and just giving over the bed completely!
I wonder if Annabelle would let the chickens ride around on her plush back! That would be fun (as long as those chickens didn't have to do a pooder) Tee hee.
I have a few chicken lovers too! :)
That is so sweet about Annabelle. None of my goats are that way about our chickens, but our rooster still likes the goats.
I know what you mean about wishing the cats would become friends. I always hoped that about Rascal and Catzee, but they never did really hit it off. Of course Rascal was a super grump when we got Catzee. About the time he decided he wanted to be friends, she had put up with enough of his attitude that she wouldn't have anything to do with him! Cats.
Family allergies is a serious consideration. We have them and still have house cat. It's not easy since he cannot go outside - there are no living outside cats anywhere here. It means we always have to guard the doors. I love having my kitty but it would be great not to have to constantly monitor the doors.
It was so fun to read others' comments about sheep/fowl friendships and beloved cats! Thanks for sharing; sounds like Annabelle is not unique - I just didn't know!
Graham Lamb (when he could still fit through the door) "loved" the chickens...because they had chicken food he wanted to gobble up. Sigh.
I hear you, crazysheeplady- would like to have our chickens in the same field as the sheep,,but don't know how we'd keep the sheep away from the chicken food!
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