Hi, I'm Gertrude McCluck, and I want to tell you about one of the most unusual things that happened at Gerny Acres farm. The day had been unusually warm for a spring day. Babs, Gabby, Eggatha, Mildred, Rose, and I were walking around in our pen eating scratch. (We were free range until we stared eating tomatoes from the garden, but that's another story.)

"Here chick, chick, chick," called Mrs. Ramsey, one of the owners of Gerny Acres. All of us hens ran over, and Mrs. Ramsey tossed a live snake in the pen.

"Arrgg!" screamed Eggatha, who is and probably will always be the most timid chicken at Gerny Acres. But Mildred, Babs, Gabby, Rose, and I ran after the snake. First Babs got it and took a peck out of it. But then Gabby took it away and ran around the yard with it hanging in her beak like a long drooping mustache. I like snake meat too, so I ran after Gabby and stole it right out of her beak. But then Mildred, the fastest runner on the farm, got it away from me and started to swallow it!

"Ewww!" shrieked Eggatha.

"Eggatha, stop yelling," I said. "It's good meat, fresh, local, and organic!"

"Look Auntie Gertrude!" said Gabby.

I looked. Half of the snake was down Mildred's throat, and the other half was hanging out! Well, after about two minutes Mildred swallowed the snake.

"That was a tasty treat!" said Mildred.

"Really Mildred," I said as calmly as only the chicken in charge can be. "Was that necessary?"

"No, I guess not, Gertrude," said Mildred, "but I do love snakes!"

Well, anyway, Eggatha got over her fright. Mr. and Mrs. Ramsey let us chickens free range again (after the tomato harvest was over), and as chickens, we don't have any more problems—well, as few as chickens can be expected to have!

Note: this story really happened!