Nina The Rescue Hen

• Ilse Bongers, Grade 2, Rehoboth Christian School -
• Short Story
• 2018

Excellence Award in the 'Horizon of Dreams 2018' competition

One day we went to the factory with Miss Anne to get 4 extra hens from a horrible place where hens die after they are not laying enough eggs anymore.
She had to pay for the hens and the man dropped the hens on the concrete floor in front of us. Some of the other people paying for hens put them in the backs of their cars to eat them! Miss Anne just wanted to help saving a few to give them a better life.
We drove to her house and let the hens out in their enclosure where they have lots of space to run around with shade, trees, straw and sand. She already had 4 other rescue hens from the same place.
They did not get up at first and were panting a lot. They had never seen the sun before!
Then they started walking a bit and I could cuddle them.
In time, they grew nice, new feathers that covered their bare skin.
One hen did not do well. She had a sore foot from always sitting on the wire at the horrible place. Miss Anne called her "Lefty", and asked if we could care for her.
Miss Anne was sad to see her go, but said she knew Lefty was going to a loving place, called “our house”. And she did love it here at our house. She had a good time. We did too.
She loved cuddles and following us around everywhere. Her poops were everywhere too!
She loved her freedom, and was now a free range chicken! She still laid eggs for us sometimes. After a while she stopped, but that did not matter to us. She was part of our family.
She loved scratching around. She would mess up the piles of dirt that my mom raked from the grass.
She loved eating pellets that fell out of the bucket when we feed the rabbits and guinea pigs. She would even jump up trying to steal them from the bucket!
She loved taking sand baths with her feathers flying everywhere and her wings up in the air. She made big holes in the dirt.
She stayed with us for nearly two years.
Then she got sick. She had showers and baths to help her get better. We wrapped her in towels.
She stayed inside, with straw, paper, food, water and vegetables. She was safe.
When we were away for a trip for a few days, our dad sent us a photo, saying she was not doing well.
Luckily, we were going home the next day, so we could see her and bury her next to our first rescue pet, our special weero.
We bought a rose bush for the grave. Now the two birds can rest without pain forever. I loved her.
I hope I will see them again in heaven. I am sure God is keeping them safe and has a very special home for them instead of our home.
Our Nina.