I’ve never had a really good relationship with the chickens, I admire their industry and energy, but they seem kind of dumb and dirty to me. I realize that is a short-sighted and narrow way to look at them, so I am trying to get along with them on a higher plane.

I take my stewardship of the animals – all of them – seriously, and I just need to do better.

They chickens know how to rattle me, they are crapping on the porch all the time, and I found myself yelling at them and chasing them off with a broom – they make an incredible mess sometimes, and with a whole farm to run around, why do they insisted on dumping on the slate porch?

The dogs love to eat chicken droppings, some of which are impressive, and often vomit them up. They sometimes have worms and the dogs are permanently on worm preventives.

In addition, the chickens love to sneak up on the barn cats when they are eating and steal their food. That also ticks me off.

But I’m sucking up to them now. I want to do better.

I’m off to a good start. I bought a giant bag of dried mealworms and every morning when I come out, instead of cursing at them or telling them to get off the porch, I go over to the big barn, cluck at them and dump a couple of handfuls of dried mealworms on the ground.

I  have to say my chickens are not complicated. They have forgiven me my sins and grumpiness, they come running when they see me, and I dump the worms on a big flat rock next to the bar. All seems to be forgiven, they are happy to be around me.

Every animal is different, but they do share some common traits. They tend to like people who feed them.

It’s strange to find myself seeking the approval of chickens, but I do want the animals here to be content and at ease with me. The mealworms are my way of saying I want to do better, and the chickens do not hold grudges, they are not demanding.