Are You Lonesome Tonight?

In November 1960 after returning from two years' service in the US Army, Elvis Presley released "Are you Lonesome Tonight," a song that would top the charts and make girls cry.  It was originally written in 1926, but Elvis was able to make the tender ballad into something special.  You'll remember the first part of the song:

Are you lonesome tonight? Do you miss me tonight?
Are you sorry we drifted apart?
Does your memory stray to a brighter sunny day?
When I kissed you and called you sweetheart?

Drifting apart can indeed be a melancholy event for people - and animals, too.  The effects of being alone can be disastrous.  Yesterday afternoon I walked out to the chicken tractor in the pasture to feed and water our growing meat birds and peeked in on them.  They are looking good and they are definitely NOT LONELY!  As a matter of fact, by this weekend, I'll likely open up one end of the chicken tractor and extend the enclosure to allow them to hop out and have more room to stretch out.

A crowd of birds

They're not really 'cooped up' (pardon the pun) too tightly, they just like to bunch up together and enjoy each others' company, I would assume.  They still have some space to move around if they want some personal space.  I would say that for now, it is the perfect amount of space.

A view inside Heartbreak Hotel

As I glanced across the pasture near the chicken tractor, I immediately noticed something out of place.  Tricia had told me about it and I wanted to see firsthand. There was a group of laying hens encircling a white object, pecking on it.  As I walked up on the hens, they scattered exposing the carcass of one of our meat birds!

Winner, winner chicken dinner

Chickens are omnivores, meaning they'll eat vegetables, grain, grass, and meat. Chickens can be cannibalistic.  It's not a pretty thing to talk about or look at, but it's reality.  They will pick the carcass clean if you let them. Protein is protein. 

A foul fowl

How did this murderous carnage occur?  It occurred because the young meat bird left the safety of his enclosure.  Within the chicken tractor he had safety in numbers.  When you are with a large group, you are less likely to be a victim of treachery like this. It's a shame, really.  He had access to feed and water, shade, shelter and comradery of his feathered friends. And yet he left the safety of his home and ventured out alone. As a result of this bird-brained decision, he was isolated from his compatriots and met a quick and inglorious end. Birds of a feather are supposed to flock together, right?  Not run out on their own...

Sometimes we humans can exhibit the same thought process.  We have safety, provisions, and brotherhood and yet we are inclined to leave the protective covering of our family or our God and venture out alone. That's when the Enemy strikes.  By dividing us we become prey - easy pickings for those wishing to do us harm.  The Prodigal Son immediately comes to mind.  Fortunately he came to his senses before it was too late.

Don't get me wrong, being a rugged individualist can be a positive thing.  That mindset played a large role in colonizing this country.  But there should be balance. The Good Lord created us to be relational beings.  That's why it is important to be a member of a family, a close-knit local church, and have good neighbors that help one another out.  In Genesis 2:18 He said, "It is not good for man to be alone."  

Back to the chickens.  They don't have large brains and you can't really blame the bird for his sad demise.  I have to take the blame for this one.  The pasture is uneven.  Depending on the slope of the ground, sometimes there are gaps between the ground and the bottom of the chicken tractor.  Those gaps, if large enough, allow the birds to escape.  I used a brick, some tin, a board and a log to patch up the holes, assuring their safety.  That's a good plan to prevent another event like this from occurring. 

Patching up the hole

And I think that's what we have to do sometimes.  Sometimes when we are tempted by pride, vanity, or stubbornness to 'go it alone' we need to shut the door, not venture out and stay within the confines of our support structure - where a loving God and a caring family can protect us from a cannibalistic culture.  That way, like "The King of Rock 'n Roll" sang, we won't ever have to be sorry we drifted apart.