The last time I kept a pet was a little rabbit in my dormitory in 2011. Later, because my company didn't allow it, I was forced to release it into the wild. I like small animals very much in my heart. I remember when I was a child. I raised chickens, ducks, dogs, cats, lived in the countryside. when I become an adult. After getting married and having children,under the pressure of life and work, I was thinking I can’t keep a pet.
In February 2022, I was working at home due to the covid-19 break up in our city.
My daughter Ruby was 10 years old,study at home. She was eager to have a pet dog.
Recalling the joy and happiness of my childhood with small animals, I find that experience is enough to nourish the ups and downs of my adult world. When I recall the infinite obedience and 100% love of small animals to me, it would be let me feel warm and happy for a long time .
Small animals are soft, cute. Moreover, even in a group of chickens and ducks, I can recognize my little animals, they are so different, some are bad-tempered, some are gentle and generous, some are beautiful, some are kind-hearted.
Thinking of my daughter missing small animals, and thinking of her childhood without the gentle companionship of small animals, I thought she would experience monotonous and terrifying childhood, finally, with the courage to love my daughter, we decided to raise a hen,we went to the vegetable market and bought a hen (the hen was supposed to be a food ) ,Ruby was very happy and named her Pudding. Because the hen body is creamy yellow, plump feathers, like a sweet cream jelly.
It is not easy to raise chickens in the city, especially in apartment environment of our community. We gave her a chicken coop on the balcony, buy feed, clean up manure, took her for a walk in the morning and evening.
Pudding's Life:
1. When we got up, it was after 6 o'clock in the morning. Pudding's clucking alarm clock woke us up. It happened that our daughter Ruby was going to school. Pudding happily ran out of the cage every morning and came to the living room to find rice to eat.
2. For a walk, Pudding walks under the community. In the morning and evening, we go out to work during the day and go for a walk when we come back at night. Because chickens have poor eyesight at night, Pudding is timid by nature. She likes to fly on top of me and lie down. Also, we have to keep an close eye on the putting hen, because there were wild cats who would stare at the fat pudding food.
3 Take a bath. There is sand outside. When the weather is fine, pudding likes to swing in the sand pot and take a bath. I put sand in the washbasin on the balcony at home. Every time I see the pudding, I happily let her go into the washbasin take a bath, and the sand is spoiled everywhere.Anyway, Pudding hen’s happy is most important.
4. Sleep. At night, Pudding sleeps in the balcony. During the day or when I am at home, Pudding comes into the living room. She likes to sleep beside the full-length mirror and the kitchen sink. (because there are mirrors to see its companions)
5. Going out to play, it likes to go to the grass to graze, dig soil, and catch earthworms. she also laid 6 eggs at home (one month), although the eggs are small, I am really happy.
Like other small animals and plants, pudding has an innate sense of beauty, as if it is a creation of nature, sometimes it squatting on the ground quietly to sleep, the breeze gently blowing through her feathers, she fell asleep quietly Made me feel very relaxed and quiet.
It made me marvel and appreciate the life and resilience of this beautiful lady. She loves me and my two children with all her heart. Even though my kids love to grab her and hold it around and put it on various tables, on chairs, on ruby’s head, on her shoulders, in her bike basket, on her scooter, Pudding hen still likes to play with them and be close.
My kids also received a 100% loving response from pudding hen and comfort in the process of playing and caring with her.
In June, we considered our lack of time and sent the pudding back to the farm. There are many chickens, ducks, dogs, trees, and land, which are more suitable for her than my building. I also ask the farm owner to take good care of my hen. I saw her happily searching for food in the field as soon as she entered the farm, and there were new roosters and hens looking for her. She will slowly integrate into the new environment.
Although my daughter and me are so sad to leave Pudding, especially my daughter feels that she has lost her love, I remind my daughter to consider the happiness of Pudding. For Pudding, she did not become a dish, from the industrialized breeding workshop, back to her The farm and with great happiness.
It is the great experience and lesson to me and my daughter. I feel very grateful to pudding hen.