Written by Guest Writer, Summer Jones
Weeks before the election, there isn’t much one can talk about without the conversation going in a political direction. Even a once considered neutral topic like the weather eventually goes into divisive discussions about global warming and climate change. Once the conversation starts in that direction, sides are taken, and something as benign as the weather becomes a sore subject.
Don’t even think about bringing up national issues like COVID-19 and social justice or local issues like Confederate statues and Taco Bell. Bringing up any of these topics of conversation is sure to stir controversy. Those that prefer peace over quarreling are sadly running out of things to talk about.
Is there anything we can talk about that doesn’t divide us? I think in 76008, there might be one thing we can safely discuss and that is chickens. Yes, that is correct, chickens. Left wing, right wing - it doesn’t matter, chickens unite!
Chickens are that neutral topic of conversation we so desperately need right now. No more ruffled feathers. We can have conversations, not confrontations. Like, “How ‘bout them chickens?” Or, “Got chickens?”
And the best way to talk about chickens is to own a brood of them! Head to any local feedstore to acquire a coop, feeders and chicks and you’ll be ready to chime into any conversation.
First, you will want to tell everyone how hard you worked to secure your coop from predators. Every chicken owner has a war story to tell about keeping coyotes, foxes, hawks, snakes, raccoons, and possums out of their coop. Beware, some of the stories don’t end well, but that has never stopped a chicken owner from describing in detail the scene and what they’ve done to never let it happen again.
Discussing chick starter, layer pellets, crumbles and scratch will give you endless hours of babble. Chicken owners want nothing more than to have happy, healthy chickens and will talk about their quest to anyone.
You won’t be able to hold back from telling everyone how many chickens you have and what kinds. You’ll be speaking a whole other language when naming your breeds. Knowing which breed lays which color of eggs is advanced dialogue, but chicken enthusiasts love the engagement.
Speaking of eggs, be prepared to chat when you bring up the subject of eggs. Your first egg ranks up there as one of your best life experiences. You won’t have these conversations in the refrigerated section of the grocery store, because chicken owners won’t buy a store bought egg. They’ll tell you there is no going back once they’ve tasted the intensely delicious eggs from their backyard.
This just scratches the surface of conversations to be had when discussing poultry. A word of caution, stay clear of why the chicken crossed the road or which came first, the chicken or the egg. That’s never been satisfactorily resolved.
Summer Jones is a wife and mother to three energetic boys. She and her family recently moved to Aledo from Fort Worth with their furry and feathered pets. She prefers to look on the sunny side of things, but never counts her chickens before they hatch.