Mama Hen Talks

So as I mentioned months ago, we have a mama hen who has hatched out a nest of chicks. She is a Cuckoo Maran, a spotted black and white breed that lays an extremely dark brown egg. She is a DEVOTED mother, one of the many of this breed that I have seen and why I have so many of them. She has not rejoined the flock in the henhouse, but daily brings her brood in to the chicken yard for food and water, then leads them back into the borders surrounding our house. I worry for her. It is a lot less safe out of the chicken yard. Of course, with possums and coons visiting, the chicken yard hasn't been all that safe either. So I just keep an eye out for her and am delighted when she shows up.
The first sign that she is around is a host of high-pitched chick noises. Not the shrill alarm call, but still a frequent CHEEP CHEEP. Then if I listen closely, I hear her responding, low and softly, BRRRk BRRRk. Calm, frequent, soothing. This mama hen talks a lot to her kids.
Blesses me with her example.
Many times I feel like I do so much mediating and answering questions and needs that my head is going to explode. I answer, I encourage, I direct, I command. It IS a necessary part of mothering. One that I am not sure that I like.
Until I watch my Mama Hen. Then I see that it is beautiful. Her chicks are calm. They do not stray. They do not panic. They are the smartest ones in the whole flock. Why? Because they have a mama who is always willing to talk to them and raise them right.
What a blessing that God has given me this opportunity to live in this place and have these birds and that one mama managed to hatch her babies. It is truly not a picture I'd have found anywhere else.
My kiddos came home from camp today. I was so relieved. They had a great time and chattered a mile a minute. It was beautiful to listen to them "cheeping". I don't think I'll ever tire of listening to happy noises. The challenge will come when normality returns and unhappy noises resume and I have to continue making soothing, guiding responses.

Then I think I'll go sit in my chicken yard for a while.