Our old barn had a loft and a wood ladder to get in the loft from inside the barn.
This loft was where we stored some of our hay.
It is also where some of the chickens nested.
The ladder was attached to the framework of the barn and there was a natural nest there.
Every time I climbed up into the loft to gather eggs I would get pecked by a mean red hen in that nest.
On more than one occasion there would be a black snake in it.
Most of the time in the loft I would get flogged by hens on the nest and would have to stand a fight them off.
Gathering eggs for me as a small child was always an adventure to say the very least.
One time I was in the loft gathering eggs and it was Sunday morning before church.
My mom was in the barn yard doing something but was dressed for church.
I threw a rotten egg out the big loft opening and hit her in the head.
I had no idea she was there, at least that was my story.
One of my favorite things to do was find a black snake and drop it down on someone from the loft.
Another one was to go to the hen house while my parents had company at night.
Get a chicken and turn it loose in the house.
After all these years, just now I realizes why I was the one to gather eggs.
No one else wanted to put up with snakes and mean hens.
Worth