UgandAshis 17 Chicken

UgandAshis 17. Chicken.

Kampala, Uganda, June 7, 2009.

Chicken.

Eagles and hawk circle my house. It is as if they know I am planning to create a minor chicken farm in my back garden. Then we have snakes in the premise as well. Towards the front of the house is a small stretch of swamp land with mongoose, rats, cats and dogs all eyeing the potential of eating my future chicken. To assure my future feathered friends protection I need to construct a chicken ren, double the number of guards, get watch dogs for my chicken and I need to get smart chicken.
During my journeys around Uganda I have seen many a chicken waiting to be rescued and become part of my egg laying brigade however experts have informed me that rural chicken do not like the nightlife infested city neighborhood of Kansanga. I may have to find some party girls. The old dilemma arises again; do chicken lay eggs when there is no cock around? In my experience they do and I have heard the opposite. I just cannot introduce a cock – my friendly relationship with the neighbors may straight away change into a strained one.

For all of you experts on chicken out there. What type of chicken should I go for? The reason for me keeping them is to eat their eggs and see if I can rear a whole flock of prize chicken. Perhaps I can even enter competitions for Miss Chicken. We shall see.

Talking about chicken two of my Iranian friends are about to launch the best chicken restaurant in East Africa. To be called Chicken King they are now looking for another name as it has been registered already. Their terrace overviews one of the busiest streets and night club areas in Kampala called Kabalagala. Sheesa’s or waterpipe will be available and good lounge music. As I cannot indulge myself on my own chicken it is at their restaurant where I will be eating soon.

And what ever happened to bird influenza or even swine flu? On the radar and now it has fallen off again. For those of you who will be visiting Uganda a bird safari amongst other safaris is a must here as if I am not mistaken Uganda has more bird wildlife than any other country in Africa (perhaps in the world) but even here environmental nightmare, encroachment on wet lands, poaching and hunting is common so much so that the national bird of Uganda the crane has reduced from 100000 to 10000 birds over the last 40 years. If ever I get land here it will be a paradise for birds.

A friend told me a story of his youth when he was asked to buy some rice at the shop in his youth. As he walked towards the shop he heard a beautiful bird sing he listened and followed. Then another bird popped up. He kept on following the miraculous tunes and as he wandered home his heart was filled with joy. Such a sweet songs, such a wild colors, an elegance these birds bring to the world. His mom asked him on returning where was the rice. Oh, oh he replied on seeing and hearing nature’s splendor his original task had disappeared from his mind.

Namaskar,
Ashis