• 30°
Hartselle Enquirer

Sitting hen sets field on fire

By Clif Knight

It happened on a red hot Dog Day in 1947 when a barren hen was sitting on a nest full of eggs waiting to be hatched. Loitering nearby were two like-minded farm boys, namely Byron Cockrell and Clifton Knight, looking for something exciting to do. They were left behind on the Cockrell farm as 12-year-old caretakers while their parents were away visiting other relatives.

The last words they heard from their parents were: “You take care of things and don’t get into trouble.”

“That means we’re free do whatever we want to as long as we don’t tear up something or hurt ourselves,” Byron pointed out. “Sounds good to me” added Clifton. “Let’s check out the barn loft and pitch a game or two of horse shoes.”

The barn loft was scorching hot and chased us to the shade trees in the front yard. After more than an hour in the shade, were bored and looked to making a change.

“How about we check out the shop building and see what we can find in there,” Byron suggested.

The shop was equipped with a furnace, anvil and hammers, which were used to sharpen and make replacement parts for farm equipment. It also had storage space for anything used on the farm. “I spotted a bushel basket nailed to the wall under a window opening and questioned what it was used for.”
“It’s a sitting hen’s nest.” Byron pointed out. The hen will sit on the eggs until they hatch out. Then the baby chicks will be placed in a coop until they are large enough to manage on their own.”

“How many eggs does she have, “Clifton wanted to know,” I’ll count them if she’ll let me,” Byron volunteered.

The hen stiffened when Byron reached underneath her and pecked his hand. “Let me help you,” Clifton said. “Ouch, She pecked me, too. See if you can get her off the nest long enough for us to get a count.”

“Let me go inside and get a match.” Byron said, “That’ll move her.” That, she did, when he struck the match and touched her tail feathers with it. She flew out the opening in the wall instead of the front door and spread fire throughout the two-acre patch of broom adore it could be stopped.

 

 

FRONT PAGE FEATURED

Cerrowire expansion named finalist in Business Alabama Awards  

At a Glance

Work begins on repairing two bridges over I-65 in Morgan County in coming weeks

At a Glance

Tickets for Morgan County Sports Hall of Fame banquet available

Falkville

Morgan County volunteers celebrated at annual fire department banquet 

FRONT PAGE FEATURED

Man jailed for stealing car from jail after earlier release 

FRONT PAGE FEATURED

Police: Hartselle man encouraged children to have sex inside his apartment

FRONT PAGE FEATURED

Hartselle High Medical Academy students practice on new EKG simulator  

Falkville

Falkville man arrested on murder, drug charges  

FRONT PAGE FEATURED

Four Morgan roads getting reduced speed limits 

FRONT PAGE FEATURED

Hartselle native serves with U.S. Navy

FRONT PAGE FEATURED

Hartselle police: Husband beats wife after finding male contacts in her phone 

FRONT PAGE FEATURED

Season passes now available for Hartselle Aquatic Center

FRONT PAGE FEATURED

Morgan County Spring Clean-Up 2024 kicks off next month

FRONT PAGE FEATURED

Morgan County High School Class of 1974 set to reunite after 50 years

FRONT PAGE FEATURED

ALEA’s 2024 Spring Boating Basics and License courses underway 

FRONT PAGE FEATURED

Hands on the wheel: Alabama law focuses on distracted driving

At a Glance

Woman killed in interstate crash in Falkville

FRONT PAGE FEATURED

Stisher, Frost in runoff for Morgan District 3 commissioner, Abercrombie reelected

FRONT PAGE FEATURED

Halbrooks defeats Dobbs in Morgan County school board race 

Hartselle

Crafting dreams: A woodworker’s journey from hobby to artistry 

FRONT PAGE FEATURED

Stisher, Frost in runoff; Abercrombie wins seat in Morgan commission races

At a Glance

Incumbent Dobbs loses to Halbrooks in race for Morgan BOE seat

At a Glance

Sheriff’s Academy open for registration  

FRONT PAGE FEATURED

Hartselle woman models at New York Fashion Week 

x