The Dog’s Blog: A Drew’s eye view – Home Alone

Hi, Drew here again. I really enjoyed writing my last blog and my Grandma said it was good (better than mums) so I thought I’d do another one! If you read my first post then you’ll know that not long ago I was reluctantly sharing my house with two hens, Annie and Patsy. At the end of my last blog Patsy had gone back to her foster mum but Annie was still separate from our other hens because of her poorly leg.

I’m pleased to announce that order has finally been restored in the big house and there are no more hens here! I no longer have to live in fear or listen to chicken chatter all day, “I’ve got a limpy leg, I want some corn, ooh look at me! I’ve just laid an egg!”. 

On Friday 4th November after nearly two months in the house, Annie moved out. It has been a gradual process because mum needed to see how Annie managed with her poorly leg. I think things have gone well because I’ve not seen much of her in the house since then. I did go down to see her the first weekend after she left and she seemed to be happily settled in with the other girls in the chicken run.

The first night mum left her down there I could tell she was worried and just between us, it was a bit weird not having Annie in the house. Don’t tell anyone but I did miss the little cooing noises she made in the night. It was strange in the morning too when mum and dad came downstairs because they automatically said, “Hi Annie!” and she wasn’t there clucking away all excited to see them. Mum was so desperate to check she was OK and give her a cuddle, I think she went down the garden in her pyjamas!

I do overhear the Annie ‘status updates’ when mum tells dad about her, she says she’s ‘gone rogue’ and is ‘totally hen’ now. I think this means that mum’s upset because Annie doesn’t want cuddles any more – at least not in front of the other girls anyway! Mum tries to pretend that these are actually ‘health checks’ but I think we all know the truth. Apparently Annie’s a clever hen because she worked out how to put herself to bed after only two nights of being with the other girls. If this makes you clever then I must be Einstein because I work out how to put myself to bed several times a day – on the couch, on my bed, on the floor, on the couch again, but maybe this doesn’t count?

If I’m honest, I do miss Annie a little bit; she was funny when mum got the scratch mix out, Annie didn’t want to wait until it was in her bowl, she just put her head straight in the bag! Mum gave her warm porridge one morning and she was so excited trying it for the first time – she was making really fast little clucking noises and trying to eat as much of it as she could! Her table manners could do with a bit of work – even I know it’s rude to cluck with your mouth full.

I’ve got used to the house being quieter again now and it’s a lot less smelly (although dad does have his moments). I’m glad Annie has moved out and is a grown up hen now. When she first arrived she couldn’t even stand up and mum really didn’t know if Annie would ever be able to walk. I know mum still misses her, I think that’s why she keeps trying to give me cuddles and I’m not feeling very cuddly at the moment. I don’t think there’s another British Hen Welfare Trust re-homing day near us before Christmas so I should be safe from house hens for a few months at least!

Anyway, that’s all from me for now. If I don’t manage to get another ‘dog blog takeover’  done before the end of the year, then I hope you all have a happy and ‘house hen’ free Christmas! (I’m a little bit worried about all the turkeys though, this time of year is never good for them!)

Drew x