Symbiosis

Monday, August 22, 2022

In today’s header photo, thirteen-year-old Poppy eats from a haybag, while on her back a hen is almost roosting. Not visible in the scene is a twin situation at the haybag’s opposite side. There, Poppy’s sister Breeze munches as a different hen perches on her back. Last evening, I tried in nearly total darkness with my iPhone to capture that whole scene, but failed. Except for this image which conveys part of the story.

My twin Dwarf Goats and many chickens live together comfortably. Often, goats greet my visits to the coop with one or more hens hanging out on their backs. My appearance upsets the arrangements by exciting both goats and chickens. They anticipate food, and especially, treats, treats, treats.

Goat and chicken relationships have their practicalities. A chicken finds and removes insects from the host’s hairy carcass and accurately plucks matter from its ride’s eye-corners. My goats don’t seem even to notice those activities.

Another advantage to the goats is that they love to consume chicken feed. To a goat, corn is candy.

Dear Friends: So cool, the critters, both together and separately. Diana