All of Our Deeds Come Home to Roost

I crack the shell 

of unreasoning darkness 

with my audacious song.

Rousting you 

from the safe familiar nest 

of your dreams.

Awaken! 

Greet the dawning 

of a new illumination

and strive to see the Truth 

from the inside out,

for appearances 

are seldom what they seem!

Take heed!

Brooding over unhatched plans,

gossiping and clucking 

with self-righteous disapproval

or crowing over our accomplishments

will only get someone's hackles up,

breeding misery and strife.

Attentive observation, 

self-assurance and honest work

bring far better results.

Scratching for a living? 

Keep pecking away at your obstacles.

We all strut and fret our way through life.

To thine own self be true,

yet fight fiercely when you must

to establish your place 

within the order of the group.

There is safety in numbers

and a lightened load.

Alone, 

you may simply find yourself 

in hot soup!

Remember!

We can only reap 

that which we sow.

If you put no effort in,

you receive nothing,

and naught of value will grow.

For those new to the game, each singing poem is inspired by a Teacher found in Nature; an animal, plant, star, stone etc that holds lessons of Wisdom for those who listen. Can you guess who is singing today?

How many species of chicken are there in the world? Nobody is really sure as it seems like everyone has been keeping a different count. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations as of 2020 the global chicken population was estimated to be 33 billion birds, 46% being in Asia. More than 1,600 recognized breeds either egg before chick or other way around, the result of centuries of natural selection, cross-breeding and breeding within flocks ruffle feathers around our world. That is something to crow about! 

Commercial egg laying hens can produce as many as 300 eggs in a year, while most indigenous breeds maintain broods of 30-40 a year. Hens have a strong instinct to brood; to protect, sit consistently, hatch their eggs, and care for vulnerable chicks which increases rate of success. Hens begin communicating with their chicks while still in the egg using a combination of clucks, chirps, and purring noises. They are capable of at least 30 different vocalizations each with a separate meaning from calling the kids in for the night to letting them know the food is on the table. 

A rooster mates with and protects his flock of hens, warning of predators loudly, and often attacking outright with wicked spurs along their feet and sharp beak. Foxes, coyotes, weasels, raptors and raccoons are common predators to a chicken coop. If there is no rooster resident, a lead hen will step into the rooster's duties. 

Chickens can dream while they sleep, but like horses they sleep with half of their brain at a time. An evolutionary adaptation that let them watch out for predators while still resting, they can literally sleep with one eye open. Their color vision is better than ours having a well-organized eye with five types of light receptors giving them sensory capabilities like telescopic eyesight and almost 360 degree field of vision. They are also, like all birds, the closest living relative to dinosaurs. 

Recent studies show that chickens display complex problem-solving skills, understand cause and effect, can pass on their knowledge to others, and have exhibited behaviors like worry and self-control. Chicks as young as 2 days old show an understanding of object permanence which we don't develop until we are 6 months old. Not every animal even develops this concept. They have excellent memories, can recognize up to 100 faces as well as solve puzzles. Which means they have a sense of fun and like to play.

They are omnivorous. Chickens eat grains, various plants, insects, grubs, worms, small invertebrates and even mice or other small birds. They are tiny velociraptors, remember? There is always a pecking order, a hierarchy, established early on in which everyone knows their place. 

Symbolically speaking the Hen and her strutting companion the Rooster run the spectrum from ideally balanced couple who seem born to tango, communicate well on all levels and keep the perfect nest. All the way to the overly broody housewife with too many kids who is always pecking at the flashy no-good fella who always seems to be stepping out with some other chick. Unbalanced Chicken people can be gossipy, pick at things for no good purpose, start rumors and stir shit up sometimes just for the perceived goal of getting a higher spot in the pecking order. 

Balanced Chicken people are usually the exemplary of Mother or Father leader figures. The Mother Hens of the group regardless of age or setting who make sure everyone is accounted for and safe. Worrying too much or behaving in too controlling a manner in this area turns that kind Mother Hen into clucking mess though. There are parents and people who fancy themselves parental figures who are Broody Hens, Cocky Roosters. These folk think they know best and have put themselves in charge. They do not communicate; they tell you how they want things done. They usually don't do any of the work in making the bread when in the workplace either, they just do a lot of strutting, clucking and crowing. 

Wise, brave, loyal, humble communicative is how we see this Nature Teacher when Balanced. Foolish, cowardly, treacherous, brash and a babbling gossip when Unbalanced. Always asking us who do you think came first? They are the symbol of self-cultivation and awareness. Isolation, self-negligence (we can hen-peck ourselves too), aggressiveness, arrogance are all signs that you may benefit from communication with this Nature Teacher. 

Keywords: Community, Communication, Renewal, Humility, Nourishment, Courage, Sacrifice, Responsibility, Honor/Respect/Reputation, Fertility, Parenting, Dedication, Resilience, Vigilance

Associated with: Sunrise/dawn, awakening, protection against evil, Asclepius, Minerva, Mars, Apollo, Alechtryon, Aditi, Wele Xalaba, Lugus, 

Potential Balancing energies: plants like chickweed, wheat, amaranth, corn, strawberries, lavender, mint, parsley, marigold, nasturtium, clover, daisies, chicory, or thyme. worms and insects like ticks, ants, caterpillars, flies, crickets, grasshoppers, moths, butterflies, and beetles. Other birds and animals like hawks, owls, foxes, stoats, weasels, turkeys, ducks, raccoons, crows, cats, frogs, lizards, snakes, and mice.