Last year my husband and I bought a small henhouse and adopted four hens. After they had settled in, we found that at mealtimes the biggest hen would bully the smallest. We prayed with this statement from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy: “All of God’s creatures, moving in the harmony of Science, are harmless, useful, indestructible” (p. 514). Almost overnight, the behavior of the bullying hen changed, and each hen was able to get her fair share of the food. 

One day, my husband let the birds out of their henhouse a little earlier in the morning than usual while he was doing chores. He was in the front yard for only fifteen minutes or so, but when he returned to the back, he found that one hen was missing, two were dead, and the fourth was badly hurt. He was heartbroken and furious. Then he spotted a fox in our neighbors’ yard. His anger melted when he realized that the fox was probably providing for her kits. We were very sad, but forgave the fox.

Our one live chicken had been bitten on either side of her spine, and a chunk of feathers was missing from her back. She wasn’t moving, so my husband picked her up and gently cleaned the wounds as best he could. Then he held her for a long time, talking to her and reassuring her.