The Guinea Fowl we named Asienzu that lives on our compound has been running amok lately. I have been chasing her out of the garden all weekend. She usually obeyed the fence, but strangely this weekend she began flying over it into the garden (I didn't want to tell anyone she flew there or they might clip her wings again). I was perplexed. Did she want the tomatoes that badly?
Today, I had to leave the compound for a while, and when I came back I found Asienzu hiding deep in the very bushy tomato plants. But this time I noticed a calm rather than her usual frantic eating. She stayed there for about an hour while the other fowl waited outside the fence patiently. What was happening?
After a while, she stood up, stretched her feathers, and proudly displayed her first egg tucked away under the plants. She was thrilled with herself. I was thrilled with her. I had never seen a mostly wild bird lay an egg before.
She slowly walked away from the egg, jumped over the fence and joined her waiting friends. I could only imagine that in Guinea Fowl they were all congratulating her.
Congratulations, Asienzu!
PS: Asienzu means "peace" in the local language (Lugbara).
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