TEN AMAZING LESSONS FROM MY FOWLS

 In the middle of this year 2018, precisely June 23, I got four chickens in two batches, two in each set. My close friend in the neighbourhood brought them all at a gift price. The two in each set were the same in age and size but the first batch were smaller and younger than those in the second. The second set were quite bigger and matured.

Although the smaller ones had already grown wings but were yet to be fully matured. Both were alike in their sizes and the brown colours. It was also impossible to distinguish their genders at that age. The only distinguishing feature was that the leg of one was lighter and the other dark. They were all kept in a cage having an upper and lower decks of one compartment each. The older paired together in the upper deck and the younger ones housed beneath.

It was my first experience rearing such creatures as personal pets. I watched them as they grew and keenly took lessons daily from their amazing lives. Domestic animals are wonderful. They’re good source of inspirations and wisdom for whoever cares to reflect.

The first thing I observed was a class divide. The older ones were friendly to each other but were hostile to the young ones. They bit them and chased them off especially when about to sleep or while eating. The younger ones too usually walked together and tried to avoid crossing the path of the bully elders. They avoided pecking in the same plate or playing around the same vicinity with them. When it was time to sleep, they either arrived earlier or would not enter their cage until the 'landlords' had entered and slept. It's good to recall that the victimized had been in the cage two weeks before the shylock landlords arrived!

Lesson 1. Stay out of trouble. Don't mistake suicide for defending your right when the challenge is beyond your power. Report the oppressor to Allah and wait patiently for His help.

This continued until there was when a sudden disease outbreak. Surprisingly, the younger ones survived it while the two older ones died at one week interval to each other. It happened because we couldn't get the right medications until after their death. The dark-legged younger one was the the third victim in the attack. She almost died but later survived it after three days of injections.

Lesson 2: The strength is not necessarily in physical vigour. The weak may survive the heavy wind that sweeps away the strong. Be patient with your enemies, you may outlive them. Never show arrogance or superiority to anyone.

Lesson 3: An ailment doesn’t kill. God Almighty does. When you’re destined to live, you get healed where medications failed or were unavailable for others.

Following the mysterious death of their common enemies, the one with the light leg became more greedy and intolerant of the dark-legged fellow. She would never allow her access any of the food in the plate. She would chase her out of the shared compartment of the cage until they finally were separated. The dark-legged now transferred into the empty upper deck. Remember that they were peers of equal age and sizes, and most probably chicks from the same cervix. They grew together and used to have common enemies. They faced the challenges together and survived it together.

Lesson 4. Don't be deceived by the company around. You may only appear as important to siblings and friends because of the benefits derived from you. Your peers may keep you close because of the common challenge or dream you share. Trust but never rule out the possibility of tomorrow's enemies from today's allies.

This continued to grow while this hostility continued until the victimized dark-legged one disappeared. She didn't come home again except occasionally early in the morning for breakfast. As soon as she sighted me around, she would flee lest I tried to catch and cage her. I later suspected she had started laying and was only protective of her eggs. She had gone to lay elsewhere to avoid the fear and psychological disturbances her colleague was giving her. At the same time, she didn't want to come home to sleep and risk being caged and not being able to give due attention to the eggs.

Lesson 5. Hide your glory and dream from the haters. Take your success far from the threat zone. Be wise enough to avoid risks capable of harming your purpose and plan

Then, early last month, November, she came home with two kids. Amazingly, she did this by herself. Since then she never went out of the cage or my compound. She was caring and nursing her babies. Remember she would’ve died during disease outbreak but she was spared for a brighter day like this.

Lesson 6. Don’t condemn the sick to death. Sickness don’t kill people of destiny until they achieve their purpose.

Meanwhile, the bullying light-legged one too had previously laid one egg in the cage. But the egg was ridiculously small. I can relatively compared it to that of a lizard in size, or slightly bigger. Unfortunately, while trying to set a lay bed for her and transferred the egg into it, the bad thing happened. The egg fell and got broke in my hand. Her first egg to my knowledge! I almost cried. Since, then she just remained like that laying nothing. I wasn’t sure whether her action was deliberate or she was under the force of fate.

All I noticed was that she had remained unusually calm and sober. Surprisingly, she even ran away from the two chicks. When they mistakenly entered the cage with her, she quickly jumped out. Remember she was notorious and never attacked by the disease but could produce yet while the gentle and once infected peer had children.

Lesson 7. We may be born same time having identical features like twins. Success stories may never be the same. Don’t trample upon anyone lest you get humiliated when they rise above your height. God Almighty has the way the way He humbles the proud.

As the mother and the kids had been living in the upper deck, there were difficulties coming back to roost. The deck was too high for the kids, making it difficult to be with their mothers. She would be jumping in and jumping out again because them. Most times, I would eventually run after the kids and put them in the cage.

Lesson 8. Care for your children. Animals do. It’s shameful enough that they’re on the street in danger while you’re sheltered in the homes.

This continued until one day, a surprise happened. I went out for prayers and came back to find the lone mother, the light-legged one in the upper deck and the mother and the kids roosting in the lower deck! How did this arrangement come about? My households explained the most exciting part of this account.

As the kid mother was occupying the upper deck and the other patching calmly in the lower deck, the kids were going through distress of how to get to their mother above. It appeared the mother was frustrated and helpless after going up and down several times without being able to lift up her children.

Lesson 9. Respect others' privacy and rights. Don’t disturb their peace or give them problem to solve your own. You can politely ask for help but not from the enemies who pretend not to see.

At the end, the kids finally entered into the lower deck with the estranged mother. As soon as they entered, she rushed out. Whether that was done in favour or fear, only Allah knows. As that happened, their mother jumped in with them. Left with no option, she jumped to the upper deck. That is how they sleep till this morning. They all had peace. I have peace too.

Lesson 10. Take a situation the way it comes. Life is a chemical reaction. There is a natural way equilibrium shifts to annul the constraints and ensure balance. 

My amazing fowls