One of These Things...

"One of these things is not like the others,
One of these things just doesn't belong,
Can you tell which thing is not like the others
By the time I finish my song? "
"Did you guess which thing was not like the others?
Did you guess which thing just doesn't belong?
If you guessed this one is not like the others,
Then you're absolutely...right! "


Remember that old Sesame Street Song???
I was reminded of that the other day as I let
the chickens out of their yard to free range!

Maddie loves the chickens, but what she loves even more
are the scraps of food that she might find inside their yard!
The chickens never seem to be bothered by her presence...
which I find absolutely amazing,
afterall, she looks like a bear....
well maybe not with her summer haircut!
(read comment #2 below)

Comments

Anke said…
It's great that you can trust Maddie around the chickens like that. Did it take a lot of training or was she always gentle like that?
March 31, 2010 at 7:05 AM
Bee Haven Bev said…
When she was just little, we lost a couple chickens (4 years ago). That same day we found Maddie with blood and feathers around her mouth. My brother in law thought that Maddie had killed the chicken. My theory was that she found it dead and tried to save it! That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Ever since that day, whenever we saw here near a chicken, we would say the command "leave it" which she knows well, and she would leave it alone. Now, we don't even have to tell her. Newfies are so very gentle by nature....I cannot imagine one harming anything. I still don't, in my heart, think that she killed the chickens 4 years ago.
March 31, 2010 at 7:26 AM
Anonymous said…
My black lab will not harm our chickens either and seems to enjoy hanging out with them. She has no qualms on hunting and (gulp) eating wild bunnies on our farm. She once (to my horror) swallowed a baby bunny whole while I chased her around the yard screaming at her to drop it.

Our Terrier on the other hand feels that chickens are his personal squeak toys and is banished to his kennel on the days that the chickens are freeranging.
Heather in PA
March 31, 2010 at 8:07 AM
Kelly said…
Our lab puppies have shown no real interest in the chickens, but they are seperated by fence in the pature. However the guineas, who aren't bright enough to remember they can fly, have been captured once and eaten. Today Emma had another but when we called her she brought it to the porch and dropped it. It seems that except for the loss of some feathers(and little understood and unappreciated bird trauma) the bird seems fine and is back with the flock. Dont know how to get them to be simply curious about farm animals. Ivy, our aging pug is accepted by all and is satisfied to simply give an occasion sniff. The birds and animals alike seem to know she is no threat and just ignore her. If anyone knows how to get the pups to do this let me know. Alex
March 31, 2010 at 2:54 PM
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