The big chook chase

4.1.2020

Yesterday I picked up my ration of four young chooks.  It has been a huge effort just to get these girls. Chooks have been selling out so fast that there is a shortage!  To get my girls I had to get up really early and drive to the chook farm.  There was a queue of people already in line at suitable spacing.  Everyone looked deadly serious and there was no conversation.  This was serious business!   

When I got to the front of the queue, I was met at the shop door, my money taken, and a receipt paper handed over.  Next I had to cross the yard to the chook shed where the owner was very busy stuffing cardboard boxes with two chooks each. II did not even get to look at them. It was bizarre, but very efficient. Two boxes were rapidly passed out of the door over a make-shift counter. And I left as soon as possible to let the next person collect his order.

 Apparently, there will be no more available until the end of April, so I am glad I got up at the crack of dawn and get the four that I did.  We usually buy more than a dozen at this time of year if we have not raised our own day-olds, but I do not resent the ration system.  Four chooks would provide enough winter eggs for a family, so It is only fair to share them in this way.

We usually provide eggs for several families but this winter we may have to cut down on this service.  At least we will have eggs for our own family members.  I am told that the local shop only has intensively produced eggs now, but I am relying on second hand information about shops now.