The hens and I have reached a kind of symbiotic relationship. Possibly because everyone needs a mother hen, I think, as much as mothers and hens seem underappreciated in this world. It may be that tenderness and kindness is all that is left, after the chaos of cultural dissolution, war, political and economic shifts sift America like wheat. I may be the most fortunate one when it’s all over because I have a hen and an egg.

Rat has completed a tunnel system under the hutch so that he can sneak into the food dish undetected for a few bits. He was so happy in the hay I decided to study his nature. Then I may best gauge how to prevent any unhappy, destructive, or anti-symbiotic relationship that may arise.

I am not so hard-nosed to prevent a creature from feeding itself. That is every creature’s duty, Thomas Jefferson insisted we be free to pursue. Independence. Liberty. Rat proves he is much more than a creature to be kept in a lab.  

BF Skinner’s idea was that all nature (including human beings) may be conditioned by sensory input, a steady supply of affirming messages, programming essentially. Brainwashing is a better word although the scientists believed it was necessary for “our good” which makes it seem respectable. I think I prefer the other 20^th century idea, that government may make no experiment of its citizens without their knowledge or consent. Or compensation!    

I may be dabbling in natural science- to the degree that I study and observe the nature of creatures in their environment. But my ambition is limited to ensuring rat is free to do his business and not upset my hens so they can do theirs. I won’t be doing any brainwashing of hens or rats, thank you. Conditioning them to serve my will. I am not a psychopath!

Lesson from hens today: Know with whom you coexist