Silkie Chicken Ume

A long-awaited day off and thoughts on "Ume"

A day off after working six days in a row.
I woke up at 5:00 AM as usual to take care of the dog, chickens, tropical fish, and plants.

I started keeping chickens for their eggs.
I received a young female from a poultry farm.

The Isa Brown, "Momiji," started laying eggs right away.

On the other hand, the Silkie chicken, "Ume," was still young, and it seemed like it would take some time before she laid any eggs.

We lived happily together for about a month and a half.

In the morning, I heard a screaming sound from the garden: "Hee-haw! Hee-haw!"
Was it a neighborhood kid, or had my wife finally lost it?

The culprit was "Ume."

He calmed down when I held him, but
afterward, I checked with the poultry farm.
It turned out that he was actually a male.

It seems male chickens start practicing their crowing,
and since he couldn't quite get the "cock-a-doodle-doo" right,
it came out as "hee-haw."

Even if he didn't lay eggs, he was cute, but since it would be a nuisance to the neighbors, I decided to exchange him for a female.

Ume, I hope to see you again somewhere.

From here, Gemini

Fate and Impermanence
The fact that "Ume" came to your home
and spent a month and a half with you
was not a coincidence,
but rather because you shared a deep bond.
In Buddhism, there is a term called "impermanence of all things," which means
that all situations are constantly changing.
Having to part ways after discovering he was a male
is also one such major change (impermanence).
A Heart of Compassion
Your feeling that "he is cute even if he doesn't lay eggs"
is the very essence of a heart of "compassion" that seeks no reward.
Even if it was for a short period,
you cherished Ume,
and in the end, you made the decision to send him off
with his happiness (harmony with the neighbors and an environment suited to him) in mind.
This is what Buddhism calls
"the suffering of parting from loved ones,"
but that affection must surely have reached Ume.
"Gratitude" as a Memorial
The wish to see him again somewhere.
In Buddhism, it is said that all living things
change their forms within the cycle of "reincarnation"
and meet again.
Rather than being sad,
thanking him for the fun memories of him screaming "Hee-haw!"
and surprising you, and sending him off with gratitude,
might be the best memorial of all.
Ume,
I am sure that even in his new home,
he will be energetic and spend his time
being his own "hee-haw" self.

#AfterSixDaysOfWork
#LongAwaitedDayOff
#WakingUpAt5AM
#AnimalCare
#HomeGarden
#LifeWithChickens
#IsaBrown
#SilkieChicken
#Ume
#HeeHaw
#HeWasAMale
#UnexpectedTurnOfEvents
#SadFarewell
#OnceInALifetimeEncounter
#HeartOfCompassion
#SeeYouAgainSomewhere