Heather Discovers That Working At The Chicken Ranch Is Harder Than It Looks

Jathan Fink/Jadeworks Entertainment

Since we moved to Texas, I’ve done a lot of things that I never thought I’d do. My job is as far removed from books as it could possibly be. I’ve filmed commercials for a credit union. And I’ve even gone to Indy Races at Texas Motor Speedway. So now it seems the time has come to take on another challenge. 

Last night, after Jathan picked me up from work, we went out to my father-in-law Pat’s new property, a five-acre parcel of land called Bluebird Hill where he’s going to build his dream house. He showed us the progress he’s made so far: he’s cleared the land, put up a huge storage building, planted grass, installed a fence, and raised chickens. Lots and lots of chickens.

Pat Fink/Jadeworks Entertainment

At the ‘Chicken Ranch,’ as Jathan likes to call it, roosters run free. Hens of all kinds and sizes lay multi-colored eggs. And an orphaned pigeon named Pierre rules over them all. He’ll also land in your hair if you’re not careful! (Pierre seemed to love nesting in Jathan’s golden locks.)

Inside the chicken coop, Jathan said I should hold a chicken so he could snap a picture for our blog. (I tell you, I do anything our faithful readers!) So I hope you like the snapshot. This is the first and last time I’ll ever do this. The only poultry I like to hold is the kind that comes already plucked so I can prepare it for supper.

Jathan and Pat even convinced me to collect eggs. That wasn’t too bad since most of the nesting boxes were vacant and I just had to pick the eggs up and put them in a basket. But then I came to one box that was occupied, and Miss Cluck wasn’t about to get off her eggs. Pat said I just had to slide my hand under her and grab the eggs. But Clucky had other ideas, pecking at my hand to let me know she meant business. So I let dear father-in-law grab those golden eggs. He’s used to that kind of treatment from these plucky birds.

At least now we have farm fresh eggs for breakfast. And I’ve learned that I’ll never make it as a farmer. But hey, food in the fridge and a lesson learned boils down to what Martha Stewart calls a ‘good thing.’