Farmyard Menagerie

One of the pleasures of living outside the city is the array of animals that meet me when I arrive home each evening. Casey, our German shepherd who deters thieves, usually runs excitedly to meet me from our kitchen shed where she relaxes. She’s the special charge of Leah, who cooks her daily dinner of porridge with chicken feet and liver.

Stephanie’s flock of chickens, for eggs and meat, has grown to three roosters, 15 hens, and 17 chicks. They range freely during the day and spend their nights in a mesh enclosure Boniface built beside our storage container. They share the space with our ducks: one male and three female adults, five adolescents, and ten chicks. Two male and two female turkeys live there too, and eat the same bran that Boniface gives to the ducks. We feast on turkey and duck on special occasions.

Beside the henhouse is the pigpen, where one male and one female hog gulp down bran and wild plants that Grandma brings them and entertain us with their constant grunts. I’m not sure what their destiny is, given that Boniface is the only family member who likes pork. Casey has loaned the adjacent doghouse to three rodents called kubaios in the local dialect; Blaine feeds them herbs and says they reportedly taste good.

Last and definitely least in popularity are the cats that roam our property and sneak into the house when given half a chance, looking for food to steal. They descended from a ratter that brought our mice population down to zero. Thankfully their numbers too are now decreasing since Boniface has found folks who consider them a delicacy. (Can you tell I’m not a cat lover?)

If you thought you’d get tales of lions, elephants, and giraffes from my African adventure, sorry. I’ve seen these exotic creatures in the same places you have: American zoos. The animals that surround me are largely the same as you might find in your own farmyard. And I’m thankful for the way they help me feel right at home.